Omics Lab for Health and Human Performance

The Omics Lab for Health and Human Performance will perform various nucleotide based omics analysis on various organisms from bacteria to plants and animals, including humans. In addition, research is focused on molecular biology and omics-based approaches for assessment of immunity in extreme environments.

The primary machines that will be used are two Illumina next generation sequencers, a NextSeq 1000 and an iSeq 100. This will allow us to perform studies ranging from simple genomic diversity to more complex cell signaling and gene regulation studies. In support of these two machines we also have several BioRad T100 thermal cyclers, an Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 3 Real-Time PCR, an Agilent Technologies 4200 TapeStation and 2100 Bioanalyzer, an Invitrogen Qubit 4 Fluorometer as well as several standalone BioRad electrophoretic systems. We also have the capability for rapid cell sorting using a Sony MA900 multi-application cell sorter.

The Omics Lab for Health and Human Performance is open to all studies requiring BSL-2 capabilities and multi-organism omics-based analyses following extreme environmental exposures. Current collaborative initiatives include work with NASA GeneLab.

Equipment

• BioSpherix Incubator Subchamber System with O2/CO2 Control
• NextSeq 1000
• iSeq 100
• Several BioRad T100 thermal cyclers
• Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 3 Real-Time PCR
• Agilent Technologies 4200 TapeStation and 2100 Bioanalyzer
• Invitrogen Qubit 4 Fluorometer
• Several standalone BioRad electrophoretic systems
• Sony MA900 multi-application cell sorter

Current Projects

• Relating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and inflammation in the spaceflight environment.
• Delineating the effects of low dose acute ionizing cosmic irradiation effects on sex-specific immunity.
• Modeling lunar and Mars partial gravity as a continuum using tissue chip-based approaches.
• Unearthing inflammation in extreme environmental conditions.

Recent Publications

• Paul AM, Overbey EG, da Silveira WA, Szewczyk N, Nishiyama NC, Pecaut MJ, Anand S, Galazka JM, Mao XW. Immunological and hematological outcomes following protracted low dose/low dose rate ionizing radiation and simulated microgravity. Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 1;11(1):11452. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90439-5. PMID: 34075076; PMCID: PMC8169688.
• Rubinstein L, Paul AM, Houseman C, Abegaz M, Tabares Ruiz S, O'Neil N, Kunis G, Ofir R, Cohen J, Ronca AE, Globus RK, Tahimic CGT. Placenta-Expanded Stromal Cell Therapy in a Rodent Model of Simulated Weightlessness. Cells. 2021 Apr 19;10(4):940. doi: 10.3390/cells10040940. PMID: 33921854; PMCID: PMC8073415.
• Nelson CA, Acuna AU, Paul AM, Scott RT, Butte AJ, Cekanaviciute E, Baranzini SE, Costes SV. Knowledge Network Embedding of Transcriptomic Data from Spaceflown Mice Uncovers Signs and Symptoms Associated with Terrestrial Diseases. Life (Basel). 2021 Jan 12;11(1):42. doi: 10.3390/life11010042. PMID: 33445483; PMCID: PMC7828077.
• Paul AM, Cheng-Campbell M, Blaber EA, Anand S, Bhattacharya S, Zwart SR, Crucian BE, Smith SM, Meller R, Grabham P, Beheshti A. Beyond Low-Earth Orbit: Characterizing Immune and microRNA Differentials following Simulated Deep Spaceflight Conditions in Mice. iScience. 2020 Nov 25;23(12):101747. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101747. PMID: 33376970; PMCID: PMC7756144.
• Wuu YR, Hu B, Okunola H, Paul AM, Blaber EA, Cheng-Campbell M, Beheshti A, Grabham P. LET-Dependent Low Dose and Synergistic Inhibition of Human Angiogenesis by Charged Particles: Validation of miRNAs that Drive Inhibition. iScience. 2020 Nov 25;23(12):101771. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101771. PMID: 33376971; PMCID: PMC7756138.
• Paul AM, Mhatre SD, Cekanaviciute E, Schreurs AS, Tahimic CGT, Globus RK, Anand S, Crucian BE, Bhattacharya S. Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio: A Biomarker to Monitor the Immune Status of Astronauts. Front Immunol. 2020 Nov 2;11:564950. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.564950. PMID: 33224136; PMCID: PMC7667275.
• Tahimic CGT, Paul AM, Schreurs AS, Torres SM, Rubinstein L, Steczina S, Lowe M, Bhattacharya S, Alwood JS, Ronca AE, Globus RK. Influence of Social Isolation During Prolonged Simulated Weightlessness by Hindlimb Unloading. Front Physiol. 2019 Sep 13;10:1147. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01147. PMID: 31572207; PMCID: PMC6753329.
• Overbey EG, Paul AM, da Silveira WA, Tahimic CGT, Reinsch SS, Szewczyk N, Stanbouly S, Wang C, Galazka JM, Mao XW. Mice Exposed to Combined Chronic Low-Dose Irradiation and Modeled Microgravity Develop Long-Term Neurological Sequelae. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Aug 22;20(17):4094. doi: 10.3390/ijms20174094. PMID: 31443374; PMCID: PMC6747492.