Aswati Subramanian, an associate professor of biology and environmental science at Simpson College, has paved the way for eight Simpson students to participate in undergraduate research connected to space science.
“The project started with my sabbatical period last year,” Subramanian said.
During her sabbatical at the Florida Institute of Technology, she began research on the effects of simulated microgravity on cilia, a microscopic structure found in the human respiratory system.
Cilia helps move mucus and particles out of the lungs, and studying them in microgravity can help explain how space travel may affect astronauts’ respiratory health.
When Subramanian returned from her sabbatical, she was looking for students to continue her research. She then found juniors Brian Rollison and Brennan Voss; two students who were dedicated to advancing the project.
“The model we use is a single-celled organism called Tetrahymena, which is called ciliates because its entire structure is covered in cilia,” Voss said.
Voss explained they use Tetrahymena because its cilia resembles the human respiratory system, but also because it reproduces asexually, which makes it easy to grow and study in a lab.
By studying how these cilia respond to simulated microgravity, researchers can better understand the effects of real microgravity on astronauts’ respiratory systems. This research could be valuable to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in its effort to understand the impact of long-term space travel on the human body.
“We’re trying to get a better grasp on the human body and to see how it’s affected when it’s in a zero gravity environment,” Rollison said.
Voss and Rollison also recruited sophomore Ethan Drake, junior William Bacus and seniors Aaron Scholes, Avery Plathe, Peyton Seo and Alexis Ulrich. This group of eight spans over five different majors and brings a range of perspectives and skills.
Having different majors is essential for the group, as the research extends beyond biology and bleeds into mathematics and computer science departments. This will eventually make it a multidisciplinary project.
For Subramanian, the most meaningful part of the work is watching her students grow and develop confidence in what they’re doing.
“To see them get excited has been the best part,” Subramanian said. “It’s something as simple as seeing them have fun in the lab. When I see the students be so independent and it feels luxurious, they are very organized and take initiative.”
This research gives students hands-on experience and allows them to contribute to scientific work connected to NASA and space exploration. For the students involved, the project represents more than time in the lab; it may open doors for their futures.
The students will be presenting their work at the annual Symposium alongside hundreds of other students.
”The more support we can get from faculty and staff to attend the Symposium the better it is for undergrad research and creativity in general,” Subramanian said.
