University of Manitoba

Published purpose

It is well-recognized that astronauts experience profound physiological changes that adversely affect the heart owing in part to the effects of changes in the normal circadian light/dark cycle. Furthermore, new compelling data from the research group suggests that accumulation of damaged organelles resulting from impaired cellular quality control processes is an underlying defect contributing to cardiac cell-death and dysfunction following circadian disruption. The relationship between circadian disruption and heart health during spaceflight is not well-studied. Hence, the research team proposes to delineate how circadian disruption influences autophagy, cell-viability and cardiac dysfunction in females versus males in response to altered light/dark cycle during spaceflight.