HA 2026 – Microbes, Medicine and the Microgravity Frontier
December 4, 2022 2025-11-12 20:26HA 2026 – Microbes, Medicine and the Microgravity Frontier
Course Available in: santiago
MICROBES, MEDICINE, AND THE MICROGRAVITY FRONTIER
This interdisciplinary course invites students to explore the invisible microbial world and its surprising impact on human health, technology, and the environment. Grounded in the One Health framework, which recognizes the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. Students will investigate how microbes shape immunity, brain function, and disease resilience.
Through hands-on lab activities such as microscopy, DNA extraction, and live C. elegans observation, students will discover how environmental factors like microplastics influence biological systems. They will also learn how scientists draw inspiration from nature and even space to develop biomedical innovations.
By combining scientific exploration with ethical discussions and collaborative projects, students will gain a deeper understanding of how life adapts to extreme environments and how discoveries on Earth can advance human health in space and beyond.
Calendar:
January 12 – 16, 2026 (Monday to Friday)
Schedule:
From 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Location:
Santiago, Chile
(In Person)
Dr. Aidyl Gonzalez-Serricchio
PHD, CalTech UNIVERSITY
Dr. Aidyl Gonzalez-Serricchio is a molecular geneticist, environmental microbiologist, and space biology researcher at Caltech, where she studies Alzheimer’s disease, soil microbiomes, and life in extreme environments. She holds a PhD from the California Institute of Technology and teaches at UCLA.
She leads global citizen science programs that connect students with hands-on research in sustainability and space medicine. As Director of Outreach for the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences, Dr. Gonzalez supports youth-led research on Earth and in microgravity, inspiring the next generation of scientists to explore how life adapts and thrives beyond our planet.
