ZAGOVORI ŠTUDENTOV PROGRAMA SPACEMED

Zagovori študentov programa SPACEMED

Članice konzorcija:

Mednarodna podiplomska šola Jožefa Stefana (Slovenija),

Université de Caen Normandie (Francija) in

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Nemčija),

ki skupaj izvajajo magistrski program Erasmus Mundus SPACEMED, vabijo na zagovore magistrskih del, ki bodo 14–16. septembra 2026 v Veliki predavalnici IJS. Zagovorov se lahko udeležite tudi po Zoomu (Meeting ID: 892 9451 7176, Passcode: 774452).

SPORED ZAGOVOROV:

14. september 2026

• Nadja Bastiaens ob 9:00

Naslov: Možganska perfuzija, ocenjena z arterijskim spin označevanjem (ASL), v 60-dnevni študiji počitka v postelji / Cerebral Perfusion Assessed by Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) in a 60-Day Bed Rest Study

Mentor: prof. dr. Alexander Stahn

Somentor: dr. Stefan Hetzer

Kratek povzetek dela: For sixty days, volunteers lay in bed tilted head-down, a way of simulating spaceflight on Earth. MRI was used to track the blood flow in their brains. It fell during bed rest and returned afterwards. All three groups (exercise, exercise in a centrifuge, or neither) followed the same pattern.

• Annika Bauer ob 10:30

Naslov: Učinki simuliranega tridnevnega vročinskega vala na apetit, energijski vnos in hidracijski status pri zdravih ženskah / The Effects of s Simulated 3-Day Heatwave on Appetite, Energy Intake, and Hydration Status in Healthy Women

Mentor: prof. dr. Igor Mekjavić

Somentorica: dr. Liz Simpson

Kratek povzetek dela: Heatwaves may affect appetite and eating habits, but evidence is limited. This study examined appetite, food and water intake during a 3-day simulated heatwave in women. Appetite and diet composition remained stable, water intake rose during heat, and energy intake declined slightly over time.

• Raphael Emil Bochet ob 13:00

Naslov: Variacije kalcijevih izotopov v serumu med razbremenitvijo skeleta zaradi ležanja v postelji / Calcium Isotope Variations in Serum During Bed Rest-Induced Skeletal Unloading

Mentor: prof. dr. Igor Mekjavić

Somentorja: izr. prof. dr. Tea Zuliani, prof. dr. Matej Drobnič

Kratek povzetek dela: Calcium isotope ratios in human serum dropped during a 60-day bed rest study, mirroring bone loss. Exercise protocols prevented this drop, suggesting calcium isotope ratios are a sensitive marker of bone mineral balance.

• Johanna Inge Marie Bucher ob 14:30

Naslov: Vpliv 60-dnevnega ležanja na naklonjeni postelji z glavo navzdol, ki simulira mikrogravitacijo, na spanje in možne koristi senzomotoričnega treninga / Impact of 60-day head-down tilt bed rest simulating microgravity on sleep and the potential benefit of sensorimotor training

Mentorica: dr. Eva-Maria Elmenhorst

Somentor: prof. dr. Pierre Denise

Kratek povzetek dela: To simulate microgravity in space, volunteers underwent 60 days of strict bed rest in a six degree head-down tilt position. On the first night, sleep duration and quality were impaired, and men were more affected than women. Surprisingly, by night eight, most sleep measures had returned to baseline.

15. september 2026

• Rodrigo Gonzalez Flores ob 9:00

Naslov: Vrednotenje spolno odvisnih odzivov na obsevanje centralnega živčnega sistema z rentgenskimi žarki / Evaluation of sex-dependent responses to X-ray irradiation on the central nervous system

Mentorica: dr. Charlot Vandevoorde

Kratek povzetek dela: This thesis investigates the long-term effects of whole-body X-ray irradiation on neuroinflammation and neurogenesis in the mouse hippocampus, with a focus on sex differences. The findings reveal subtle, lasting changes and highlight the importance of including female subjects in radiation research.

• Marion Angela Heinrich ob 10:30

Naslov: Karakterizacija citotoksičnosti fibril amiloida-β(1–40) divjega tipa in variante Tottori, nastalih v mikrogravitaciji / Characterization of the Cytotoxicity of Microgravity-Formed Wild-Type and Tottori Amyloid-β(1–40) Fibrils

Mentor: prof. dr. Koichi Kato

Somentorica: izr. prof. dr. Maho Yagi-Utsumi

Kratek povzetek dela: Amyloid-beta fibrils are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, for which no cure currently exists. Microgravity may reveal fibril characteristics that are difficult to investigate on Earth, particularly in disease-associated mutations. This thesis compared the effects of ISS-grown and Earth-grown fibrils on cellular metabolic activity. ISS-grown fibrils appeared to have a less detrimental effect, but further research is needed to understand why and to determine the specific role of microgravity.

• Nidhi Mol ob 13:00

Naslov: Exploring the Metabolic Modulation of Ionizing Radiation-induced DNA Damage Response / Raziskovanje presnovne modulacije odziva na poškodbe DNA, povzročene z ionizirajočim sevanjem

Mentor: dr. Özdemirhan Serçin

Kratek povzetek dela: The thesis explores how metabolic changes using metformin and rapamycin affect the cellular responses in cancer & healthy cells when exposed to X-rays. This was investigated at a phenotypic, mechanistic and genetic level, offering applications to radiotherapies and radiation risk assessment.

• Gendis Angger Pitaloka ob 14:30

Naslov: Reward Function Design and Validation as A Foundation For Inverse Reinforcement Learning in Postural Control / Načtovanje in validacija funkcij nagrajevanja kot temelj za inverzno ojačevalno učenje pri posturalni kontroli

Mentor: prof. dr. Jan Babič

Kratek povzetek dela: This thesis examines reward design for simulated postural control, a prerequisite for inverse reinforcement learning. It trains a biomechanical model under 3 safety-term formulations and evaluates the resulting behavior against human movement data.

16. september 2026

• George Benjamin Russell ob 9:00

Naslov: Ocena števila motoričnih enot v človeški mišici soleus: zanesljivost in učinki kratkotrajne razbremenitve / Motor unit number estimation of the human soleus: reliability and the effects of short-term unloading

Mentor: doc. dr. Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalo

Somentor: dr. Ricardo Mesquita

Kratek povzetek dela: Motor units are lost in ageing and neuromuscular disease, and perhaps with gravitational unloading. This thesis is the first investigation of the reliability of motor unit number estimation in the soleus and the impacts of unilateral lower limb suspension on motor unit number and size.

• Aleksandra Sakharova ob 10:30

Naslov: Učinki simulirane mikrogravitacije na komplementni sistem in biodistribucijo cinka / Effects of Simulated Microgravity on the Complement System and Zinc Biodistribution

Mentor: prof. dr. Jean-Pol Frippiat

Somentorja: dr. Marine Paquet, prof. dr. Igor Mekjavić

Kratek povzetek dela: Bed rest studies show that simulated microgravity can affect immune system and zinc biodistribution by activating the complement pathways and increasing inflammation and potential for allergic responses. These changes are especially prominent in hypoxia. Encouragingly, physical exercise and artificial gravity may help counter these effects.

• Abhishek Singh ob 13:00

Naslov: Vpliv mikrogravitacije na delovanje celic imunskega sistema / The effect of microgravity on immune cell function

Mentorica: prof. dr. Lisa Westerberg

Somentor: prof. dr. Igor Mekjavić

Kratek povzetek dela: T cells help our body fight disease, but how they respond in space is not fully understood. This study developed a live-cell imaging protocol to visualize T cell activation over time. This protocol enables capturing early changes in T cell signaling in order to study these responses aboard the sounding rocket.

• Itzel Suárez López ob 14:30

Naslov: Blaga narkoza kot model za vpliv bivanja v vesolju na kognitivno sposobnost / Cognitive Impairment During Induced Mild Narcosis as a Model for Spaceflight Performance Vulnerability

Mentor: prof. dr. Igor Mekjavić

Somentor: prof. dr. Pierre Denise

Kratek povzetek dela: Astronauts consistently report cognitive deficits during flight. Interestingly, divers report similar symptoms. This study investigated cognitive domains relevant to spaceflight during exposure to nitrous oxide and compared the findings with published astronaut data.

Nazaj na novice