Thursday 10 April 2014

Microgravity research helping to understand the fungi within

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You may not recognize it by name, but if you have ever had a child with a diaper rash, that child was likely a host to Candida albicans (C. albicans). This unwelcome "guest" can be hard to control, as it can potentially lead to serious illness in humans with weakened immune systems. During an investigation dubbed "Microbe," using the unique microgravity environment aboard space shuttle Atlantis on an International Space Station mission, researchers gained a better understanding of these prevalent fungi. Their tendency to become more aggressive in microgravity helps scientists see what mechanisms control the behavior of these types of organisms, with the potential to develop ways to influence their behavior both in space and on Earth.

via Science Daily

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