The "Omics" of Space Travel   
       
   Nov. 15, 2015:  The human body is incredibly complex. Every part of us-from   
   our bones to our blood cells-is subject to a host of chemical reactions and   
   molecular interactions that, without our conscious effort, keep us alive.   
       
   But what happens to these processes when we leave the planet?   
       
   In Earth orbit and beyond, where gravity is counteracted by a constant state   
   of freefall and cosmic radiation intensifies, the molecular inner-workings of   
   the human body may change.  To find out how, NASA has entered a realm of   
   bio-research known as "-omics."   
       
   http://youtu.be/lgL_7-qT8S8   
       
   During an unprecedented 1-year mission to the International Space Station,   
   scientists are studying how astronauts' bodies respond to long-duration space   
   travel.   
       
   "Omics" refers to the collection of data on the medley of microcosms that   
   regulate our bodies at a molecular level. Things that work with the metabolism   
   are grouped underneath the term "metabolome." All of the lipids in the body   
   are called the "lipidome." All of the proteins? You guessed it-"proteome."   
       
   "We have launched a one-year study to understand the omics of space travel,"   
   says Craig Kundrot, Ph.D. in the Office of the Chief Scientist at NASA   
   Headquarters. "Astronauts are spending a year on the International Space   
   Station, and we are looking at what happens to them on the molecular level."   
       
   This project is really two projects:   
       
   First, there is the "Twins Study. NASA has twin astronauts: One of them, Mark   
   Kelly (retired), is staying on Earth while his brother, Scott Kelly, orbits   
   Earth. For one year, Mark and Scott will be poked, prodded, and questioned to   
   learn if the omics of identical twins show more signficant differences than   
   normal aging would cause after one of them spends a year in space.   
       
   At the same time, Scott Kelly is involved in a separate project called the   
   "One Year Mission." Unlike previous expeditions to the space station, which   
   lasted only 6 months, Scott Kelly is spending a full year onboard the station   
   alongside Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko. This One Year Mission has its   
   own battery of tests designed to reveal the physiological effects of long-term   
   space flight.   
       
   Why 1 year?   
       
   "NASA knows a lot about what happens to astronauts after 6 months in orbit,"   
   says Kundrot. "Deep space missions are going to take much longer than that. A   
   round trip to Mars, for instance, might take thirty months or more.  This   
   1-year experiment is the next, natural step in that direction."   
       
   Kundrot also notes the intangible significance of 1 year to humans.   
       
   "When we leave home for 6 months, it's like a long business trip.  Leaving   
   home for a year is a different thing.  We are going to miss every birthday,   
   anniversary, graduation and many other milestones.  It feels like a big chunk   
   of life-and this could affect the mood or behavior of the space travelers."   
       
   Indeed, some of the studies focus the astronauts' psychological state. At the   
   same time that blood is drawn and other samples are taken, the astronauts will   
   be filling out questionnaires about their mood, thoughts and dreams. This   
   approach could reveal links between the astronaut's mental state and their   
   molecular state.   
       
   In total, more than 30 research proposals have been approved for the Twin   
   Study and the One Year Mission-and they are well underway.  The experiments   
   began on March 27, 2015, when Kelly and Kornienko blasted off onboard a   
   Russian rocket for their year in space.   
       
   For more on studies on the international space station, go to ww   
   .nasa.gov/station   
       
   Author: Ferris Molina   
       
       
   Regards,   
       
   Roger   
      
   --- DB 3.99 + Windows 10   
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