4th Annual LIMS-DLR Microgravity Workshop

Gravity is the only constant stimulus that has not changed during evolution, and has shaped all life. Understanding how gravity affects biological systems will not only enhance human space exploration; it will help us understand how to improve life and combat disease on Earth.

Join us for the 4th Annual LIMS-DLR Microgravity Workshop, and learn what gravity can tell us about our own biological systems. Presented by Dr Jens Hauslage (DLR), this three-day workshop offers the unique opportunity to conduct practical experiments, gaining essential hands-on experience in microgravity simulation, while also providing an overview of the impact of gravity on life and the current knowledge on gravity perception in cells, plants and animals.

Ideal for researchers, Honours, postgraduate students and third year undergraduates looking at learning skills relevant to the rapidly growing international space industry.

The three-day workshop will cover:

• The impact of gravity on life and current knowledge on gravity-perception in cells, plants and animals resulting in gravitaxis and gravitropism.
• Discussion of the adaptation capacities, demonstrated by plants due to their landfall millions of years ago as well as during exposure of biological systems to altered gravity conditions because of space flight and exploration.
• How Gravitational Biologists help us survive in harsh environments and on extraterrestrial stations and habitats by building biological life support systems using their knoweldge of the role of gravity in these systems.
• The techniques scientists in different areas of life science use to perform experiments in simulated microgravity (Clinostats), real microgravity (Drop Towers, Parabolic Plane Flights and Sounding Rockets), and hypergravity (Large Centrifuges) here on Earth and in space.
• Hands-on experience performing practical microgravity simulation experiments.
• Presentation of current research projects, and discusson of their significance in the scientific environment.

Hosted by the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS) and the German Aerospace Centre DLR.