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HHP Brings NASA Space Life Courses to Campus.
Scientists from the NASA-Johnson Space Center will be teaching courses on space life sciences at HHP this fall. These courses, referred to as Curriculum in Space Life Sciences, are open to all doctoral students at UH.
The course offerings include Research Using Ground-Based Space flight Models, Space Physiology: Cell Biology, Space Physiology: System Physiology and two laboratory courses. As part of the curriculum students may also complete laboratory rotations at the NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston or at the new HHP Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research (CNBR) in the Texas Medical Center.
The space life sciences curriculum is a joint venture between the Department of Health and Human Performance at UH and the NASA/Johnson Space Center and highlights the special relationship between the two. Quite a few HHP faculty are drawn from the ranks of former NASA scientists who currently maintain research relationships with NASA. Many of our graduate students have conducted research in NASA laboratories, while others have held summer appointments or completed internships at JSC. Several of our graduates are now successful employees in the space industry at JSC.
The University of Houston issued a press release on the Space Life Sciences Courses at HHP, below is an excerpt from the release:
| "These classes will focus on the understanding of how space flight and the microgravity environment impact the physiology of the human body and how space life scientists design experiments to simulate the space flight experience," said Charles Layne, professor and chair of the UH department of health and human performance (HHP), which will administer the classes. "We're extremely happy to strengthen our already strong partnership with our friends at NASA and be part of training the next generation of space scientists."
.... Some of the laboratory experiments students in this curriculum will track will be performed at the new HHP Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research (CNBR) in the Texas Medical Center. The CNBR is home to a human performance laboratory dedicated to better understanding the mechanism of human movement control. It is directed by Professor William Paloski, a 23-year NASA-JSC veteran, who has researched postural stability control and sensory motor performance in astronauts during and after space flight. Currently, the CNBR is undertaking several NASA-JSC studies. "This is a very exciting opportunity for our students and faculty to build lasting and productive partnerships with NASA's space life scientists," Layne said. |