Space life sciences research. This primarily focuses on how lunar dust and microgravity might impact respiratory health. Our work includes assessing the toxicity of lunar dust on lung epithelial cells using lunar dust simulants. Their June 2025 study found that lunar dust caused irritation but was less toxic than urban air pollution, providing reassuring data for planned lunar missions

The majority of this work is led by PhD student Michaela Smith, whose PhD research explores how microgravity affects lung cellular structure and function, which is critical for understanding and mitigating the respiratory challenges astronauts face during long-duration space travel. This research aims to contribute to ensuring astronaut safety and the success of future human space missions, such as the Artemis program.