ASAcampus scientific staff to the Joint Conference ELGRA – AIMAS

Prominent roles for ASAcampus staff members during two important international meetings (Symposium ELGRA and Conference AIMAS - Italian Association of Aeronautical and Space Medicine ) held from 11^th to 14^th September in Vatican City.
Dr. Monica Monici (ASAcampus Scientific Head) and Prof. Felice Strollo (ASAcampus Scientific Committee ASA) have organized the "International Biennial Symposium of the European Low Gravity Research Association” (ELGRA ), while Dr. Francesca Cialdai (ASAcampus Researcher) has been part of the Symposium secretariat.
The conference, during which the latest studies of Physical Sciences and Life Sciences conducted in altered gravity conditions have been presented, started with a Opening Ceremony of particular importance, which has seen a succession of important interventions by national and international personalities.
After the opening greetings of Prof. Valentina Shevtsova (ELGRA President) and Gen. Enrico Tomao (AIMAS President), the meeting started with the round table "In the Spirit of Discovery " - dedicated to the prospects of space research - which has seen the participation of many experts: Ing. Enrico Saggese (ASI President), Prof. G. Bignami (COSPAR President), Dr. Rainer Kuhl (Head of the Physical Sciences in Microgravity German Space Agency - DLR ), Dr. Martin Zell (Head of the research on the International Space Station) and astronaut Paolo Nespoli.
The meeting continued with the Plenary Lecture on the theme "Space exploration of man, between faith and science", held by Archbishop Charles Namugera (Representative of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers ) and with the celebration of Medical Corps Aviation the 75th anniversary with the speeches of Gen. Ottavio Sarlo (the Head of the Medical Corps Aeronautical) and of Gen. Pasquale Preziosa (Chief of Staff of the Air Force).
«A moment undoubtedly exciting of the Opening Ceremony - says Dr. Monici - was the greeting by Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, currently on mission on the International Space Station». Satisfaction for the results obtained by the participants on the Congress has been expressed by Dr. Monici and Dr. Cialdai , authors and co- authors of four contributions presented at the Congress in studies of Life Sciences section.
In particular, Dr. Monici has presented some results of a study on the effect of a simulated lunar dust on human dermal fibroblasts and mechanisms of tissue repair, performed in collaboration with Dr. Alamelu Sundaresan (Texas Southern University - Houston , Texas ), while the Dr. Cialdai has presented a poster based on the main points of a project dedicated to the impact of microgravity in the mechanisms of tissue repair.
A part of the project, coordinated by Dr. Monici and funded by the Italian Space, concerns the stimulation with infrared laser and electromagnetic fields, proposed as countermeasures of physical type because potentially capable to make more efficient repair processes.
The two researchers also have participated to the study presented by the group led by Prof. Sergio Capaccioli (Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences , University of Florence ) on the use of coenzyme Q10 as a countermeasure to the retinal damage induced by microgravity and cosmic rays and also to the study of the group of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa on the effect of microgravity on a neuronal model.