The abstract in PubMed or at the publisher’s site is linked when available and will open in a new window.

Papers deriving from NASA support:

  1. Ranson TM, Thornhill SG, Yang J, Barrila J, Gangaraju S, Davis RR, Nickerson CA, McLean AIL, Ott CM, McLean RJC.Spaceflight-induced changes in polymicrobial biofilm population and structure.npj Microgravity. 2026 Sep 4. Early access article.PIs: J. Barrila, C.A. Nickerson, C.M. Ott, R.J.C. McLeanNote: From the abstract: “Biofilms represent a common mode of bacterial growth, including the water recovery system (WRS) in spacecraft. Several factors have been associated with biofilm structure, including shear forces, microbial community composition, and available nutrients and other culture conditions. During an investigation of biofilm formation of a mixed cystitis isolate, Escherichia coli F11-mCherry and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1-gfp culture during spaceflight in BioCell™ flight hardware with an artificial urine medium, we observed the gas-permeable Teflon (Tf) covering to become heavily colonized after 4 d by a P. aeruginosa-dominated biofilm that took on a structure resembling Van Gogh’s Starry Night.” This article may be obtained online without charge.

    Journal Impact Factor: 5.1

    Funding: “This work was funded by NASA grant 80NSSC22K1361 that was awarded to R.J.C.M., C.A.N., J.B. and C.M.O. We thank Stefanie Countryman, Shankini Doraisingam, Matt Vellone, Mark Rupert, Louis Stodieck and their colleagues from BioServe Space Technologies who served as our payload developers and liaisons with NASA for flight hardware and operations. We thank astronauts Mike Hopkins, Kate Rubins, Jasmin Moghbeli, and Loral O’Hara who performed the experiments on the ISS. We thank Harry Mobley (University of Michigan), Marvin Whiteley (Georgia Tech), and Matt Parsek (University of Washington) for their gifts of bacterial strains. We thank Alissa Savage, Ikechukwu Opara, and Casey Smith for training and assistance with confocal microscopy. Finally, we thank Shawn Reagan, Kevin Sato, Fran Chiaramonte, Dennis Leveson-Gower, Ellen Rabenberg, and Sid Gorti from NASA for assistance with funding.”
  2. Shea A, Oneida S, Waynant KV, Bernards MT.Evaluation of polyampholyte thin film hydrogels for the prevention of Ralstonia pickettii adhesion in microgravity.RSC Adv. 2026 Sep 8. Online ahead of print.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.

    Journal Impact Factor: 6.1

    Funding: “This research was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under Federal Award 80NSSC22M0120 and the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Federal AwardDMR-2306118. Additional student support (A. S.) was provided by the Idaho Space Grant Consortium, a NASA-funded program under Federal Award 80NSSC20M0108.”
  3. Akter Tani T, Busboom AD, McLean RJC, Tešić J.Benchmarking automated MIC detection: The AI-ready space biology SEM dataset and advanced detection methods.npj Microgravity. 2026 Sep 4. Early access article.PI: R.J.C. McLeanNote: This article may be obtained online without charge.

    Journal Impact Factor: 5.1

    Funding: “This work has been partially supported by grantsfrom NSF (2224449), NASA (80NSSC22K1361), and the Texas State University Research Enhancement Program.”
  4. Joly J, Budamagunta V, Zhang Z, Nortman B, Jouzi M, Bhatnagar R, Egertson JD, Flaster ME, Grothe R, Guha S, Kaneshige K, McVey K, Nelson N, Perera RT, Tan SJ, Trinh T, Arnott D, Lipka J, Pandya NJ, Rougé L, Wendorff TJ, Kirkpatrick DS, Rohou A, Butler DC, Lotz S, Forton A, Sartori ER, Schwarz JE, Brereton PS, Chen K, Darcy MA, Golnabi HR, Hartley R, Indermuhl PF, Inman CE, Jin KM, Katsyuk S, Kota R, Lowry B, Menger JC, Miller DA, Newman MR, Ogunyemi A, Robinson JK, Steiner N, Sun J, Tabakman SM, Wang L, Wang Z, Wilcox SK, Anderson JE, Bain F, Bartnicki F, Beekun I, Bellesia G, Bhatnagar R, Bjornson K, Brereton PS, Brown S, Budamagunta V, Burke K, Chen C-L, Chen K, Chen PL, Cosert K, Cruver D, Darcy MA, Dugdale W, Dutta A, Egertson JD, Flaster ME, Ford TJ, Frankie K, Gillies TE, Gneshin K, Golnabi HR, Grillo S, Grothe R, Guerrero CY, Hao P, Hartley R, Hoehn BD, Huber M, Huhmer AFR, Inman CE, Joly J, Jin KM, Jouzi M, Juneau K, Kapp GT, Kaneshige K, Katsyuk S, Kim E, Kota R, Kuhar JR, Leano JB, Lee D, Leung W, Li C, Lowry B, Mallick P, Manskie M, Martinez CF, McVey K, Menger JC, Miller DA, Monsen E, Mowry A, Napier G, Nelson N, Newland N, Newman MR, Nortman B, Ogunyemi A, Panakkadan J, Patel S, Perera RT, Pham N, Prabhu K, Press MO, Qian H, Rinker TE, Roberts AJ, Robinson JK, Sanford AA, Sohi AN, Sankar SV, Shekher P, Skulich GV, Sparck IT, Sprague IB, Steiner N, Stephenson R, Sun J, Suzuki K, Tabakman SM, Tan SJ, Tardif N, Tonapi SS, Trinh J, Trinh T, Villancio-Wolter M, Villanueva J, Wang L, Wang Z, Weld G, Wilcox SK, Winters K, Yan F, Yeung Y, Zhang Z, Kapp GT, Patel S, Temple S, Bertucci T, Blanchard J, Huhmer AFR, Sankar SV, Juneau K, Mallick P.Large-scale single-molecule analysis of tau proteoforms.Nature Methods. 2026 Sep 4;23(9):1786-97.PI: J. BlanchardNote: This article may be obtained online without charge.

    Journal Impact Factor: 28.3

    Funding: “We additionally acknowledge funding from The Regenerative Research Foundation (NSCI investigators), The Rainwater Charitable Foundation and the Tau Consortium and Cure PSP (to S.T., T.B. and D.C.B.), NIH (award nos. RF1NS123568 to S.T. and D.C.B. and 1RF1NS142335 to S.T. and T.B.). This work was funded in part through support to J.W.B. from NASA (contract no. 80ARC022CA004), the NIH/NIA (R01AG089533) and The CureAlz Fund.”
  5. Kelly L, Loureiro R, Harris K, Lynch K, Simpson A, Richter DD.Microbial pre-conditioning of perchlorate-bearing Martian regolith simulant: Geochemical evolution toward a plant-compatible substrate.Gravit Space Res. 2026 Sep;14(1):138-49.Journal Impact Factor: 0.9

    Funding: “We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran (JPL), Dr. Lory Santiago-Vazquez (UHCL), Dr. Elizabeth Rampe (NASA JSC), and Dr. Michael Thorpe (NASA JSC) for their contributions to microbial analysis, mineralogy, and geochemical interpretation. External analytical support was provided by Kevin Rey (BYU), Dr. Amy Williams (UF), and Dr. Andrew Jackson (Texas Tech). The authors also gratefully acknowledge Duke University for access to laboratory facilities and analytical instrumentation. We thank Louis Lu, PhD candidate, for assistance with sample preparation, and Dr. Gary Dwyer for expert operation of the ICP-MS system. Finally, we acknowledge NASA SBIR/ECI support for enabling this research and advancing the development of regolith-to soil systems for Mars.”
  6. Nelson TM, Sakharkar A, Rose JK, Walter CE, Cervantes-Navarro GL, Schmidt CM, Lin R, Alexander E, Zheng JT, Glicksberg BS, Schmidt JC, Etlin SM, Overbey E, Toh LS, Rana BK, Patel HH, Schmidt MA, Mason CE.Spaceflight-guided pharmacogenomics: A foundational analysis of pharmaceuticals and their responsive gene targets in the space environment.Front Physiol. 2026 Sep 6;17:1879838.PI: C.E. MasonNote: This article is part of Research Topic “Bioconvergence: A New Frontier for Understanding and Enhancing Human Adaptations to Extreme Environments” (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/68632/bioconvergence-a-new-frontier-for-understanding-and-enhancing-human-adaptations-to-extreme-environments). The Research Topic also includes articles from previous Current Awareness Lists #1,166 https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1637834, #1,172 https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1634366, and # 1,215 https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2026.1824031. Additional articles will be forthcoming and may be found in the link to the Research Topic. This article may be obtained online without charge.

    Journal Impact Factor: 4.3

    Funding: “The author(s) declared that financial support was received for this work and/or its publication. NASA (NNX14AH50G, NNX17AB26G, 80NSSC22K0254, NNH18ZTT001N-FG2, NNX16AO69A, 80NSSC23K0832), and the WorldQuant Foundation. Work was supported by a Research Career Scientist Award from the Veterans Administration (BX005229 to HP).”

Other papers of interest:

  1. Zamboni P, Pagani A, Bertagnon A, Fanciulli G, Proto A, Zamboni M, Brancaccio R, Taibi A.Physiological adaptation of the jugular venous pulse during long-duration spaceflight.Sci Rep. 2026 Sep 3;16.Note: ISS results. This article may be obtained online without charge.
  2. Guilarte G, Gill C, Lee D, Joerg L, Padmanabhan R, Abdul-Rahman N-H, Motlak M, Choudhary S.Cutaneous changes associated with spaceflight and spaceflight analogs: A scoping review.Acta Astronaut. 2026 Sep 7. Review. Online ahead of print.
  3. Zary A, Khan MNA, Alsuwaidi H, Wood GMO, Goswami N.A systematic review of fNIRS-based neurovascular coupling research: Methodological landscape and translational considerations for spaceflight.Neuroimage. 2026 Sep 10;122226. Review. Online ahead of print.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
  4. Li C, Lingying L, Ren Z, Li Y, Liu H.Storage stability of Bacillus licheniformis after Shijian-19 satellite flight.Front Microbiol. 2026 Aug 18;17:1875487.Note: This article is part of Research Topic “Microorganisms as Astro-pioneers for Long-term Sustainable Human Presence in Space” (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/70040/microorganisms-as-astro-pioneers-for-long-term-sustainable-human-presence-in-space). The Research Topic also includes articles from previous Current Awareness Lists #1,173 https://doi.org/10.3389/frspt.2025.1651978, #1,210 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1842062, and #1,212 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1869903. This article may be obtained online without charge.
  5. Ho NQC, Nguyen TM, Doan MT, Nguyen BK, Pham MA, Phan MCL, Phan LCN, Dang TTL, Lee HT, Doan CC, Hoang NS, Nguyen TMH, Vu QM, Le TL.Simulated microgravity inhibited the proliferation of bovine muscle satellite cells.Physiol Res. 2026 Aug 31;75(4):795-801.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
  6. Liu Y, Cao X, Huang D, Luo H, Zhang S, Yang Y, Zhou Q, Li Y, Xu J, Chen H.PIEZO1 mediates myoblast proliferation under simulated microgravity.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2026 Sep 10;1563(1):e70362.Note: From the abstract: “Skeletal muscle atrophy is a major health risk of prolonged spaceflight, yet how microgravity reshapes muscle cells through mechanotransduction remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the mechanosensitive cation channel PIEZO1 in myoblast proliferation under simulated microgravity. Using a two-dimensional clinostat combined with Hi-C-based 3D genomics, transcriptomics, and functional assays, we found that simulated microgravity promotes C2C12 myoblast proliferation and upregulates Piezo1.”
  7. Su X, Wang J, Liu C, Zhang H, Dong J, Yu X, Liu Y, Zhang H, Jiang X, Guo R.Effects and mechanisms of simulated microgravity on Fusobacterium nucleatum and multiomic analysis.Space Sci Technol. 2026 Jul 21;6:0604.Note: A clinostat-based microgravity simulation device was used in this study. This article may be obtained online without charge.
  8. Ahmad U.Exploring the role of CRISPR in advancing space biotechnology: Challenges and solutions for human survival beyond Earth.Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2026 Aug 25;14:1887696. Review.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
  9. Kohshi K, Tamaki H, Morimatsu Y, Ishitake T, Lemaître F.A hypothesis-driven pulmonary-cerebral mechanistic framework of neurological decompression illness in repetitive breath-hold diving.Front Physiol. 2026 Sep 11;17:1911448.Note: This article is part of Research Topic “Breath-Hold Diving: Biological and Physiological Mechanisms, Adaptations, and Clinical Perspectives” (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/74011/breath-hold-diving-biological-and-physiological-mechanisms-adaptations-and-clinical-perspectives) and may be obtained online without charge.
  10. Lee J, Jun S, Lee JH, Han JH, Kim HJ.Association between statin use and longitudinal changes in skeletal muscle mass: A population-based cohort study.PLoS One. 2026 Sep 3;21(9):e0355202.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
  11. Gholizadeh M, Sarajar BO, Asadi J, Soleimani AA.Ellagic acid and bone health: A systematic review of preclinical studies on its protective role against osteoporosis.Mol Biol Rep. 2026 Sep 5;53:1531. Review.
  12. Yoshimoto T, Binti Mohamad Yusoff F, Kajikawa M, Kishimoto S, Maruhashi T, Kawano K-I, Yoshino M, Suzuki M, Obayashi N, Shintani T, Kajiya M, Higashi Y.Bioactive ultrasound preserves periosteal vascular architecture during mechanical unloading.npj Microgravity. 2026 Sep 10. Early access article.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
  13. Park S, Khan ZA, Ansari A, Shamali UKA, Kar AK, Lee Y, Lee G, Kim J, Son S, Hong Y.Age-dependent effects of caffeine on physiological, behavioral, and circadian gene changes in young and mature C57BL/6 male mice.J Integr Neurosci. 2026 Aug 3;25(8):46140.Note: This article may be obtained online without charge.
  14. Blanco C, Berea A, Mohanty A, Poddar A, Gupta RB.The case for integrating astrobiology before, during, and after crewed space missions.Astrobiology. 2026 Sep 7;15311074261484862.Note: From the abstract: “The transition to sustained human space exploration is reshaping how astrobiology can be conducted. As missions extend beyond low Earth orbit and involve governmental and commercial actors, astrobiology is increasingly becoming embedded in complex operational and policy environments. These developments can be seen as a shift in the operational, interpretive, and governance contexts of astrobiology, affecting how investigations are conducted, how findings are interpreted, and how research is coordinated across mission phases. Here, we outline the implications of human presence for astrobiology research and its integration within evolving exploration architectures, and examine its role in future missions.”

astrobiology, Microgravity, NASA, space biology, space medicine, spaceline,

Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Station Payload manager/space biologist, Away Teams, Journalist, Lapsed climber, Synaesthete, Na’Vi-Jedi-Freman-Buddhist-mix, ASL, Devon Island and Everest Base Camp...

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