Medicine in Space
Where: 115 BRT or Zoom
Featuring Leading Industry Partners
Understanding Human Health and Medical Innovation in Space
This is the next session of the Exploring Bioastronautics Research at Ohio State series, presented by the Human Performance Collaborative and Starlab. Join us on Friday, February 13, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, offered in a hybrid format with in‑person attendance in 115 Biomedical Research Tower (BRT) and a Zoom virtual option. This workshop will explore the physiological challenges of spaceflight and the medical innovations designed to safeguard astronauts while advancing healthcare on Earth.
Program Overview
This session will feature keynote remarks from former NASA astronaut Timothy Kopra and presentations from Dr. Kenneth Mayuga of the Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Arun Sharma of Cedars‑Sinai. Additional program details will be announced soon, with a full agenda released as speaker availability is finalized.
This session provides an in‑depth exploration of how spaceflight conditions affect human physiology and how medical systems evolve to meet the needs of astronauts in microgravity and high‑radiation environments. Topics will cover:
- How microgravity leads to changes such as orthostatic intolerance, cardiac remodeling, altered blood pressure regulation, immune dysregulation, and metabolic stress.
- The integrated roles of pre‑flight training, in‑flight medical monitoring, and post‑flight rehabilitation in ensuring mission success and astronaut wellbeing.
- The broader value of space medicine research for life on Earth, including applications in pharmaceutical development, remote and telemedicine, aging research, cancer treatment, and other health technologies.
Kenyote Speaker:
Timothy Kopra – Chief Human Exploration Officer, Voyager Technologies; Retired NASA Astronaut; Former International Space Station Commander, Expedition 47; Retired Colonel, U.S. Army
Featured Speaker:
Kenneth Mayuga, MD – Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist, Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic
Arun Sharma, PhD – Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences; Director, Center for Space Medicine Research; Cedars-Sinai