Immunity Commons^™

Developing Antibodies Against Galectin-3 And Galectin-9 To Target Endometriosis, Ashleigh Burger, Noah Farnsworth, Jared J. Reisnouer, Cheyenne Vue

2026 Symposium

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by pelvic pain and the formation of endometrial-like tissue on the outside of the uterine lining. This condition affects nearly 10% of women across the globe and confirming whether someone has endometriosis requires visualization in surgery. While the specific causes of this disease remain unclear, the over-expression of the Galectins 3 and 9 in ectopic endometrial tissues suggests a role in the development and maintenance of the condition. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are highly specific proteins with potential as diagnostic or treatment tools. The goal of this study is to generate antibodies against Gal3 and Gal9. …

Analyzing The Effect Of Melatonin On B Cells' Expression Of Cd36, Caitlyn Pinaga, Gabriella Galdeano, Nayi Gonzalez, Emma Welsch

Posters - 2026

• B cells specifically target pathogens and proliferate to make a plasma cell and secrete antibodies when stimulated. They use glucose as a main energy source but can also use fatty acids. • CD36 is a glycoprotein involved in the transportation and metabolism of fatty acids. • B cells express CD36 in unusually high levels in autoimmune patients. It is unknown as to how this occurs. • Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, commonly known for its function in regulating the circadian rhythm. • Melatonin is also known as a master cell regulator and is believed to …

Host-Intrinsic Factors Determine Anti-Tumor Efficacy Of Exercise In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Sumedha Pareek

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths with a low 5-year relative survival rate of approximately 13.3% for all stages combined. We have previously shown that exercise can improve quality of life and enhance functional capacity among patients with PDAC. Exercise induces a variety of changes in the tumor microenvironment with beneficial effects in several tumor types. However, our understanding of the clinical effects of exercise and the mechanisms that mediate anti-tumor effects are limited in pancreatic cancer.

In this project, using C57BL/6 mice from Taconic Biosciences (Tac) and Jackson Laboratories (Jax), we established a …

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Leading To A New Diagnosis Of Sweet Syndrome And Monoclonal Gammopathy Of Unknown Significance, Nidhi Rawat, Meron Gebrehiwot, Jason Raw, Jeyaprakash Ramachandran

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

We present a rare case of Sweet syndrome with underlying monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) which initially presented as upper respiratory tract infection.

Case Presentation

A 52-year-old woman presented with a complaint of sore throat for 6 days, productive cough and fever for 5 days, and red, pruritic, circular, tender rashes on face, arms and trunk for 2 days. There was a past history of similar self-limiting rashes presenting intermittently for 1.5 years. She also reported to be taking tablet ibuprofen, as required for the past 1-2 years, for cervical spondylosis. On integumentary examination, widespread, red, tender, annular …

Clinical Characteristics And Outcomes Of Pediatric Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (Ssss) At An Inner-City Tertiary Care Center, Nina Kb Gust Md, Ashley Frei Bs, Rebecca M. Adams Bs, Elika Ridelman Phd, Christina Shanti Md, Ronald Thomas Phd, Jocelyn Y. Ang Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction

Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (SSSS) is a blistering skin condition caused by a toxin-producing staphylococcus species. Epidemiologic studies on pediatric SSSS in the United States are limited, with a reported incidence of 7.67 cases per million children and 45.1 per million infants. Immature renal function, lack of protective antibodies, and increased exotoxin target desmoglein-1 are hypothesized to increase incidence in younger children. We aimed to determine clinical and microbiological characteristics of pediatric SSSS and factors that could help predict disease severity.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed for admitted patients under 18 years old diagnosed with SSSS from …

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Real World Data Infrastructure: A Big-Data Resource For Study Of The Impact Of Covid-19 In Patient Populations With Immunocompromising Conditions, James M. Crawford, Lynne Penberthy, Ligia A. Pinto, Keri N. Althoff, Magdalene M. Assimon, Oren Cohen, Laura Gillim, Tracy L. Hammonds, Shilpa Kapur, Harvey W. Kaufman, David Kwasny, Jean W. Liew, William A. Meyer 3rd, Shannon L. Reynolds, Cheryl B. Schleicher, Suki Subbiah, Catherine Theruviparampil, Zachary S. Wallace, Jeremy L. Warner, Suhyeon Yoon, Yonah C. Ziemba

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background. We developed a United States–based real-world data resource to better understand the continued impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on immunocompromised patients, who are typically underrepresented in prospective studies and clinical trials. Methods. The COVID-19 Real World Data infrastructure (CRWDi) was created by linking and harmonizing de-identified HealthVerity medical and pharmacy claims data from 1 December 2018 to 31 December 2023, with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virologic and serologic laboratory data from major commercial laboratories and Northwell Health; COVID-19 vaccination data; and, for patients with cancer, 2010 to 2021 National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and …

Immune Pathway Modulation In Melanoma Using Chitosan Nanoparticle-Mediated Dsrna Delivery, Bethel C. Iwuji

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, which typically results in the formation of tumours. Even with advances in treatments, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally. Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer which is highly malignant, develops in the pigment-producing cells of the skin, melanocytes, and in the late stages of the disease poses a significant challenge for therapeutic intervention due to its multidrug resistance. The innate immune system is the first line of defence against invading pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi, and can recognize and destroy …

Modulation Of Monocyte Effector Functions And Gene Expression By Human Cytomegalovirus Infection, Matthew Planchon, Jay Fishman, Joseph El Khoury

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Monocytes are crucial players in innate immunity. The human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has significant impacts on monocyte effector functions and gene expression. CMV, a β-herpesvirus, disrupts key monocyte roles, including phagocytosis, antigen presentation, cytokine production, and migration, impairing their ability to combat pathogens and activate adaptive immune responses. CMV modulates monocyte gene expression, decreasing their capacity for antigen presentation and phagocytosis while increasing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, which can contribute to tissue damage and chronic inflammation. CMV also alters monocyte migration to sites of infection while promoting trans-endothelial migration, thus aiding viral dissemination. Additionally, the virus affects reactive oxygen species (ROS) …

Case Report: P40phox Deficiency Underlying Pediatric-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Alejandro Nieto-Patlán, Natalia S Fernández Dávila, Yuqing Wang, Michelle Zelnick, Eyal Muscal, Martha Curry, James R Lupski, Steven M Holland, Bo Yuan, Douglas B Kuhns, Tiphanie P Vogel, Ivan K Chinn

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multi-faceted autoimmune disorder of complex etiology. Pre-pubertal onset of pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE) is uncommon and should raise suspicion for a genetic driver of disease. Autosomal recessive p40^phox deficiency is a rare immunologic disorder characterized by defective but not abolished NADPH oxidase activity with residual production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by phagocytic cells.

Case presentation

We report the case of a now 18-year-old female with pSLE onset at 7 years of age. She presented with recurrent fever and malar rash. Aspects of her immune dysregulation over time have included typical pSLE …

Adipocytes And Innate Immunity In Systemic Sclerosis, Nancy Wareing

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) is a chronic systemic autoimmune and connective tissue disorder characterized by vasculopathy, autoimmune phenomena, and widespread fibrosis. Skin thickening and tightening is the cardinal feature of SSc and is responsible, in part, for the considerable morbidity of this disease. There are currently no targeted treatments for skin manifestations in SSc, primarily due to our fragmented understanding of its pathophysiologic mechanisms. In PART I, we report a previously unappreciated link between aberrant expression of the developmental gene sine oculis homeobox homolog 1 (SIX1) in skin-associated adipocytes in SSc skin and the early loss of dermal white adipose …

Effectiveness And Safety Of Immunosuppressants And Biological Therapy For Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Network Meta-Analysis, Wen-Kuang Lin, Shwu-Jiuan Lin, Woan-Ruoh Lee, Chia-Chieh Lin, Weei-Chin Lin, Hua-Ching Chang, Chi-Tsun Cheng, Jason C Hsu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is the most common phenotype of chronic urticaria. We compared treatment effects and safety profiles of the medications in patients with CSU. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science for randomized control trials (RCTs), from 1 January 2000 to 31 July 2021, which evaluated omalizumab and immunosuppressants. Network meta-analyses (NMAs) were performed with a frequentist approach. Outcome assessments considered the efficacy (Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and weekly urticaria activity score (UAS7)) and tolerability profiles with evaluations of study quality, inconsistencies, and heterogeneity. We identified 14 studies which we included in our direct and indirect …

The Role Of The Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 2 In Pancreatic Cancer: Mechanisms Of Tumor Immunosuppression And Intestinal Radioprotection, Carolina Garcia Garcia

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease with dismal prognosis. The only curative option for patients is surgery, but over 80% of patients are not surgical candidates. Unfortunately, PDAC is resistant to the three remaining options. PDAC is characterized by a profoundly hypoxic and immunosuppressive stroma, which contributes to its therapeutic recalcitrance. Alpha-smooth muscle actin+ (αSMA+) cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most abundant stromal component, as well as mediators of stromal deposition. The hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF1 and HIF2) coordinate responses to hypoxia, yet, despite their known association to poor patient outcomes, their functions within the PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME) …

Psychological Trauma Alters T-Lymphocyte Inflammation And Redox Through Sympathetic Mechanisms, Safwan K. Elkhatib

Theses & Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder characterized by distinctive symptom clusters, including intrusive memories (i.e., flashbacks), avoidance of related stimuli, affective changes, and hyperarousal. Strikingly, patients with PTSD face a significantly increased risk for a number of inflammation-driven pathologies, ranging from cardiovascular to autoimmune disease. Yet, the exact etiology of this increased risk remains unknown. The immune system is known to be strongly influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, and sympathetic overactivity is a hallmark of PTSD. Lymphoid organs, such as the spleen, are richly innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers which terminate near adaptive immune …

Atr-Mediated Cd47 And Pd-L1 Upregulation Restricts Radiotherapy-Induced Immune Priming And Abscopal Responses In Colorectal Cancer, Cheng-En Hsieh, Cheng-En Hsieh

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Radiotherapy of colorectal cancer (CRC) can prime adaptive immunity against tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-expressing CRC cells systemically. However, incidences of abscopal tumor remission are extremely rare, and the post-irradiation immune escape mechanisms in CRC remain elusive. We report that CRC cells utilize a common DNA repair signaling pathway — ATR/Chk1/STAT3 — to upregulate both CD47 and PD-L1 in response to radiotherapy, which through engagement of SIRPα and PD-1 suppresses the capacity of antigen-presenting cells to phagocytose them thereby preventing TAA cross-presentation and innate immune activation. This post-irradiation CD47 and PD-L1 upregulation can be observed across various human solid tumor cells. Concordantly, …

Physician's Attitudes On Pulmonary Rehabilitation Following Covid-19: A Brief Perspective From A Developing Country, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda, Emanuel Vanegas, Miguel Felix, María José Farfán Bajaña, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Genesis Camacho, Alanna Barrios-Ruiz, Jack Michel

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Despite the uncertainty about the follow up of COVID-19 survivors, there is a growing body of evidence supporting specific interventions including pulmonary rehabilitation, which may lead to a reduced hospital stay and improved overall respiratory function. The aim of this short report was to assess the attitudes toward pulmonary rehabilitation following COVID-19 among Ecuadorian physicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted, in which a 5-question survey was used to assess the level of agreement to specific statements with a 5-point Likert scale. Out of the 282 participants, 48.2% (n=136) were male, with a mean of 12.6 (SD=11.3) years of experience. More …

Selective Gsk3Β Inhibition Mediates An Nrf2-Independent Anti-Inflammatory Microglial Response, Mohamed H. Yousef

Theses and Dissertations

Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3) is associated with the proinflammatory phenotype of microglia and has been shown to act in concert with Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). . GSK3 is also a suppressor of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the principal regulator of redox homeostasis. Agreeing with the oxidative paradigm of aging, Nrf2 is often deregulated in parainflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore a multimodal disease-modifying utility of GSK3 inhibition, beyond neuronal proteopathologies, Furthermore, we aimed to underscore the difference in therapeutic value between the two GSK3 paralogs by isoform-selective chemical inhibition.

The …

Immunological And Hematological Outcomes Following Protracted Low Dose/Low Dose Rate Ionizing Radiation And Simulated Microgravity, Amber M. Paul, Eliah G. Overbey, Willian A. Da Silveira, Nathaniel Szewczyk, Nina C. Nishiyama, Michael J. Pecaut, Sulekha Anand, Jonathan M. Galazka, Xiao Wen Mao

Publications

Using a ground-based model to simulate spaceflight [21-days of single-housed, hindlimb unloading (HLU) combined with continuous low-dose gamma irradiation (LDR, total dose of 0.04 Gy)], an in-depth survey of the immune and hematological systems of mice at 7-days post-exposure was performed. Collected blood was profiled with a hematology analyzer and spleens were analyzed by whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNA-sequencing). The results revealed negligible differences in immune differentials. However, hematological system analyses of whole blood indicated large disparities in red blood cell differentials and morphology, suggestive of anemia. Murine Reactome networks indicated majority of spleen cells displayed differentially expressed genes (DEG) …

The Immune Microenvironment And Relation To Outcome In Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer Treated With Docetaxel With Or Without Gemcitabine, Elisabeth S. Stovgaard, Karama Asleh, Nazia Riaz, Samuel Leung, Dongxia Gao, Lise B. Nielsen, Anne-Vibeke Lænkholm, Eva Balslev, Maj-Britt Jensen, Dorte Nielsen, Torsten O. Nielsen

Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research

Preclinical studies suggest that some effects of conventional chemotherapy, and in particular, gemcitabine, are mediated through enhanced antitumor immune responses. The objective of this study was to use material from a randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether patients with preexisting immune infiltrates responded better to treatment with gemcitabine + docetaxel (GD) compared to docetaxel alone. Formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissues from SBG0102 phase 3 trial patients randomly assigned to treatment with GD or docetaxel were used. Immunohistochemical staining for CD8, FOXP3, LAG3, PD-1, PD-L1 and CD163 was performed. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor associated macrophages were evaluated. Prespecified …

Sodium Pyruvate Ameliorates Influenza A Virus Infection In Vitro And In Vivo, Jessica M. Reel

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Pyruvate is produced in duplicate at the end of glycolysis in addition to ATP and NADH. Pyruvate is the metabolite of choice in most cells, whether obtained exogenously or endogenously. Recently we found that the addition of pyruvate’s conjugate base, sodium pyruvate, to cell culture media dampened the immune response to influenza A virus (IAV) infection in cultured innate immune cells. Thus, I decided to investigate the mechanism and potential for treatment of IAV. In vitro using bone marrow derived macrophages that were infected with IAV we found that adding sodium pyruvate to the media decreased immune signaling pathways through …

Placenta-Expanded Stromal Cell Therapy In A Rodent Model Of Simulated Weightlessness, Amber M. Paul, Linda Rubinstein, Charles Houseman, Metadel Abegaz, Steffy Tabares Ruiz

Publications

Long duration spaceflight poses potential health risks to astronauts during flight and re-adaptation after return to Earth. There is an emerging need for NASA to provide successful and reliable therapeutics for long duration missions when capability for medical intervention will be limited. Clinically relevant, human placenta-derived therapeutic stromal cells (PLX-PAD) are a promising therapeutic alternative. We found that treatment of adult female mice with PLX-PAD near the onset of simulated weightlessness by hindlimb unloading (HU, 30 d) was well-tolerated and partially mitigated decrements caused by HU. Specifically, PLX-PAD treatment rescued HU-induced thymic atrophy, and mitigated HU-induced changes in percentages of …

B25: Generation And Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein-Pseudotyped Lentivirus Particles For Use In Neutralizing Antibody Titer Testing Of Human Serum, Luis Sanchez

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

H1n1 Influenza Virus (Swine Flu): A Comprehensive Insight Into Escalating Catch-22 Scenarios, Muhammad Shahzaib, Ehsan Ul Haq

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Viruses have always been a major cause of various disastrous pandemics in mankind’s history. H1N1 became a threat when its original strain was first discovered back in the swine flu pandemic of 2009. It became highly catastrophic on a large scale because none of the therapeutic interventions and methodologies that were already present at the time were effective against the virus.

Methods: A vast amount of literature and research is available regarding H1N1 influenza from different reputable sources online. The data were gathered with the contrasting and relative situations of 1918 and 2009 pandemics in mind. The overall extracted …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Vaccine Development Using Dual-Species Whole Cell And Subunit Vaccines, Catherine Bell Blackwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen which can cause severe, recurrent, and chronic infections. The pathogen is highly adaptable, and pneumonia caused by it is associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially in individuals with the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis. Antibiotic resistance amongst clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa is steadily increasing, and multi-drug resistant strains are prevalent. There is currently no vaccine available for commercial use against P. aeruginosa. For these reasons, we sought to understand the immunity to P. aeruginosa induced by whole cell vaccination and identify antigens for development of future subunit vaccines. In this dissertation, …

Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio: A Biomarker To Monitor The Immune Status Of Astronauts, Amber M. Paul, Siddhita D. Mhatre, Egle Cekanaviciute, Ann-Sofie Schreurs, Candice G.T. Tahimic, Ruth K. Globus, Sulekha Anand, Brian E. Crucian, Sharmila Bhattacharya

Publications

A comprehensive understanding of spaceflight factors involved in immune dysfunction and the evaluation of biomarkers to assess in-flight astronaut health are essential goals for NASA. An elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a potential biomarker candidate, as leukocyte differentials are altered during spaceflight. In the reduced gravity environment of space, rodents and astronauts displayed elevated NLR and granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratios (GLR), respectively. To simulate microgravity using two well-established ground-based models, we cultured human whole blood-leukocytes in high-aspect rotating wall vessels (HARV-RWV) and used hindlimb unloaded (HU) mice. Both HARV-RWV simulation of leukocytes and HU-exposed mice showed elevated NLR profiles comparable to spaceflight …

Development, Expansion And Role Of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Post-Sepsis Immune Suppression, Tuqa Alkhateeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) numbers increase significantly in sepsis and are associated with high mortality rates. These myeloid cell precursors promote immunosuppression, especially in the late (post sepsis) stage. However, the mechanisms that underlie MDSC expansion and programming are not completely understood. To investigate these mechanisms, we used a cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis that progresses from an early/acute proinflammatory phase to a late/chronic immunosuppressive phase. Previous studies in our laboratory showed that microRNA (miR)-21 and miR-181b elevate levels of the transcription factor nuclear factor 1 (NFI-A) that promotes MDSC expansion. We report here that miR-21 …

The Autoimmune System: The Effect Of Physiological Stressors On Autoantibody Glycosylation And Fidelity Of Autoantibody Profiles, Rahil Kheirkhah

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The presence of thousands of autoantibodies (aABs) in the human sera is typical, and therefore it is possible to identify an aAB profile for each individual. In the first part of this thesis, we will show the cerebrospinal fluid also exhibits an extraordinarily complex immunoglobulin G aAB profile that is composed of thousands of aABs. We show that the pattern of expression of individual aABs in CSF closely mimics that in the blood, indicative of a blood-based origin for CSF aABs. In addition, using longitudinal serum samples obtained over a span of nine years, we show remarkable stability in aAB …

Pulmonary Immune Responses To Respirable Elongate Mineral Particles Of Asbestiform And Non-Asbestiform Morphologies, Timur Khaliullin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Inhalation exposure to asbestiform elongate mineral particles (EMPs) may cause pulmonary fibrosis, lung and pleural cancer. At the same time, epidemiological evidence for non-asbestiform EMP pathogenicity is scarce, with little if any risk of cancer, but consistent findings of pneumoconiosis and increased mortality. Globally, conditions caused by asbestos exposures contribute most to the occupational cancer burden and are responsible for the increasing mortality for occupational respiratory diseases. Immunological components of the fiber-induced lesions are extremely understudied, partly due to the lack of comparable test articles. In this study I utilized respirable preparations of asbestiform and non-asbestiform riebeckite and tremolite to …

Gravity As A Continuum: Effects Of Altered Gravity On Drosophila Melanogaster Immunity, Amber M. Paul, Joe Olivieri, Sharmila Bhattacharya

Publications

The impact of spaceflight on immune function is undoubtedly a critical focus in the area of space biology and human health research. Heat shock proteins (Hsp) are an evolutionarily conserved family of proteins that are expressed in response to cellular and physiological stressors, experienced during radiation exposure, confinement, circadian rhythm disruption, and altered gravity (hypergravity experienced at launch/landing and microgravity experienced in-flight). In particular, Hsp70 aids in the folding of proteins, facilitates the movement of proteins across the membranes during signal transductions and can stimulate innate immunity. Since Hsp70 is induced during cellular stress, and can act as a stimulator …

Modeled Microgravity Induces Neutrophil Extracellular Trap (Net)Osis Formation And Reduced Phagocytosis Of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils, Amber M. Paul

Publications

Spaceflight can dysregulate immunity, by way of increasing granulocytes numbers with impaired function. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) are granulocytes that are first responders to infection or injury, and consist of the largest pool of immune cells in humans. PMNs function during innate immunity, through phagocytosis and promotion of inflammation, via the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediators and granule-containing enzymes, such as myeloperoxidase (MPO) and NADPH oxidase-2 (NOX-2). In addition, neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation is another mechanism of PMN surveillance that works independently of engulfment phagocytosis, and is a last resort function that can induce NETosis or PMN-specific cell …

Characterization Of Sensory And Shelter Enrichment In The Rodent Research Habitat, Amber M. Paul, Yasaman Shirazi-Fard, America Reyes, Moniece Lowe, Margareth Cheng-Campbell, Sungshin Choi, Eduardo Almeida, April Ronca, Ruth K. Globus

Publications

The ISS provides a platform for conducting Rodent Research (RR) in microgravity and 9 missions have been successfully conducted. The results from these experiments have begun to provide new insights into the effects of spaceflight on mammalian physiological systems. After RR-1-4, the Flight IACUC required inclusion of additional cage enrichment into the Rodent Habitats (RH) to “enhance animal well-being by providing animals with sensory and motor stimulation, through structures and resources that facilitate the expression of species typical behaviors”. A Hut, in the form of a rigid, mesh igloo-like shelter was implemented beginning with RR-5. The potential influence of the …