Explore Rodents in Space I: What Can Astro-Mice Teach Astronauts?

Explore Rodents in Space I: What Can Astro-Mice Teach Astronauts?
Wednesday 11/11/2020
4:30 pm ET
FREE 1-hour Webinar
Educators, Students, & Parents in Grades K-16

The NASA Educator Professional Development Collaborative at
Texas State University is providing a 1-hour webinar.

This year, NASA marks 20 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Partly a U.S.-designated National Laboratory, the ISS is central to solving the myriad of challenges associated with deep space exploration by humans, including alterations in bone, muscle, heart, blood flow and immune system function. While cell and tissue research studies can provide certain insights into genetic and molecular changes caused by microgravity, the full impact of long-duration spaceflight and the success of mitigating strategies can only be understood at the entire organism level. In this first installment of a two-part series, we'll explore the basics of rodent research on the ISS, and its benefits to both Earth- and space-based medicine. Relevant instructional resources will also be included.

Dr. Anne Weiss is the Education Professional Development Specialist at Langley Research Center, which serves Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Anne originally trained as a neuroscientist, which included a research assignment in genetics at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory. Since 1998, Anne has taught Earth science, chemistry & biochemistry, physical science, human anatomy & physiology, and general biology at the K-12 and higher education levels. As a graduate assistant, Anne served as Community Manager of the NASA Educators Online Network (NEON), the subject of her dissertation on online teacher professional development, for the NASA Aerospace Education Services Project (AESP). Anne earned a B.S. in Vertebrate Physiology (with history minor) from the Pennsylvania State University, a M.S. in Physiology from the Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the Pennsylvania State University.