Category:Biology

From the recent Artemis 2 launch sending humans the farthest they have ever been from Earth, to microbes surviving in space outside the ISS, and nucleic acids found in meteorites, life has cemented its place in the universe.

The Biology team is SSI's fourth project team, focusing on the intersection between the life sciences and space. The Biology Mycorockets project is building completely biodegradable rockets using mycelium. The Astropharmacy project is working on designing a plasmid to transform Bacilis to create a peptide drug in space.

We recently hosted an astrobiology panel, including NASA scientists we've worked with Lynn Rothschild (consider taking her astrobiology class at Stanford!) and David Loftus.

The Biology team began work on its pilot project, building a portable, autonomous DNA Synthesizer to send to space, in the 2016-2017 academic year.

The Biology team works in the Shriram Center for Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering, using the Uytengsu Teaching Lab space. We are exploring other project ideas, particularly relating to astronaut life support and medicine, biomaterials for space use, and terraforming for space habitation.

The Biology Faculty Advisor is Professor Hawa Thiam.

.

If you have any burning ideas or questions come talk to us on slack or at meetings!

.