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Volume 8 Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
ISSN: 2155-952X Adv.Biotech 2018
November 15-17, 2018
November 15-17, 2018 | Berlin, Germany
4th International Conference on
Advances in Biotechnology and Bioscience
Life science in space: How it is/can be done and what has been achieved so far
Jutta Krause1, Pierfilippo Manieri1 and Janine Liedke2
1European Space Research and Technology Centre, Netherlands
2Norwegian University of Life Science, Norway
The European Space Agency (ESA) is an organization of 22 member states. ESA’s mandate is to provide and to promote,
exclusively for peaceful purpose, the cooperation among ESA member states in space research and technologies, as well
as their space applications. This includes life science research on the International Space Station (ISS) in particular within
the Columbus module. One of ESAs very successful equipment is to conduct life science experiments in space is KUBIK, a
37x37x37 cm3 temperature controlled box, which was designed and developed in 2004. Since 2006, KUBIK is operating as a
centre-isle unit inside of the Columbus module. It allows scientists to conduct experiments fully automated under microgravity
conditions. Samples are returned to ground and the effects of exposure to the environmental conditions on the ISS can be
investigated in the home laboratory. KUBIK has, over the years, hosted experiments on bacteria, fungi, human white blood
cells, stem cells of various types, plant seedlings and live tadpoles. A currently pending experiment will examine how microbial
biofilms interact with rock surfaces across different gravity levels (weightlessness, Mars and Earth gravity). Results have been
published by the scientists in various journals. Because biological experiments are very valuable, experiment preparation is a
crucial part of the work. The careful planning of the experiment accounting for the ‘upload-’ and ‘download scenarios’ and the
‘no access to sample’ requires thorough testing upfront. Special designed hardware needs science verification testing to ensure
samples are turned to the science laboratory in useful quality.
Biography
Jutta Krause is a Payload System Engineer working at the European Space Research and Technology Centre of the European Space Agency [ESA/ESTEC] since
2002. Since 2013, she is responsible for hardware development for KUBIK life science experiments. She has completed her Engineering Degree in Chemistry with a
specialization in Biochemistry and Biotechnology at Fachhochschule Niederrhein in 1998.
Jutta Krause et al., J Biotechnol Biomater 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2155-952X-C6-103