Early next year, SpaceX is scheduled to launch, headed to the International Space Station. And among all the cargo and everything else on that mission — will be a worm.
While in space, the worm will be infected with salmonella so researchers can find out how germs and their hosts may change under microgravity. It’s the work of Arizona State University researchers led by Cheryl Nickerson.
Nickerson said this experiment is based on previous research her team has done. I spoke with her from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where she was getting ready for the launch.
Nickerson is a Professor in the School of Life Sciences and the Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at the Biodesign Institute at ASU. The launch is scheduled for Jan. 6.
