As part of a partnership between the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and NASA’s Johnson Space Centre, astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi participated in a host-pathogen experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to examine the interplay between astronaut immunity and microbial pathogens.
The researchers want to know how stress hormones and latent viral reactivation affect astronauts’ immune systems. Al Neyadi’s DNA samples from the ISS and Earth will be analysed to learn more about this contact.
The discovery might improve space immunity control and provide insights into viral infections both on Earth and in space. The research is part of the UAE Astronaut Programme and will help enhance space biology.
