“Anna-Sophia Boguraev’s (17) winning Genes in Space student experiment is scheduled for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on April 8th from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida aboard NASA’s Cargo Resupply Services flight (CRS-8). Her experiment will assess if changes in DNA can be detected aboard the ISS. The goal of the experiment is to establish whether genetic changes to DNA and the weakened immune system observed in astronauts are linked. Finding the cause for the weakened immune systems of crews is an important step in safeguarding health for long duration missions, such as the three year mission to Mars. This will be one of the first experiments ever to use advanced DNA detection technologies in orbit.”
