Research Symposium

BIO

I am currently a second year student majoring in Biological Sciences on a pre-med track. I am further pursuing a minor in Psychology and am involved in undergraduate research here at Florida State University. I intend to attend medical school and pursue a career in Emergency Room Medicine.

Long-Term Effects of Simulated Spaceflight Exposure Assessed by Doppler Ultrasonography

Abstract

There are limited studies of assessing the ways in which cardiovascular health is affected by spaceflight. From this study, we investigate how spaceflight affects the heart and vascular properties of rats utilizing the Doppler Ultrasound Technique. This non-invasive technique allows us to acquire information on any effects resulting from spaceflight factors, including the single- and combined-effects of microgravity and deep space radiation. Doppler Ultrasound allows us to quantify heart rate and blood velocity, which is then mathematically transformed by a specialized computational program into specific measurements providing an index of cardiovascular function. These data are then statistically compared and tested for any effects from microgravity +/- deep space radiation exposure. These findings are still on-going, though once complete, can be extrapolated to astronaut health and identify what they may expect from missions to the Moon, and/or beyond, through our Artemis’ projects and human space exploration.

Keywords: Doppler Ultrasonography, Space flight