PHD     MASTER'S BACHELOR'S OTHER

PHD / CURRENTLY

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA
• Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Man-Vehicle Lab, Drs. Dava J. Newman, Laurence R. Young, Mary L. Bouxsein

Initiated in 2001, the Mars Gravity Biosatellite Program is a unique student-led initiative, aimed at increasing understanding about partial gravity physiology. To date, more than 600 undergraduate and graduate researchers and engineers around the world have dedicated their energies to designing this unique low-earth orbit satellite. With a "crew" of 15 mice, the spacecraft will launch to low Earth orbit and rotate around its central axis, producing artificial gravity which approximates that of the Martian surface, 0.38-g.  With special on-board instrumentation and a rapid post-flight recovery, we hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the musculoskeletal and sensorimotor effects of this reduced gravity environment. For more details, visit the program homepage at http://www.marsgravity.org.
• Wagner EB, Tan WH, Gosselin KC, Bouxsein ML (2007) A Novel Partial Weight Suspension System Simulating Mars Gravity Leads to Reduced Bone Mass and Strength in Mice. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Honolulu, HI. 16-19 September 2007.
• Wagner EB (2007) Musculoskeletal Adaptation to Partial Weight Suspension: Studies of Lunar and Mars Loading, PhD Thesis in Health Sciences and Technology, MIT: Cambridge, MA.
• Wagner EB, Fulford-Jones TRF (2006) Sensorimotor Investigations for the Mars Gravity Biosatellite: A Rotating Spacecraft for Partial Gravity Research. Brain Research. May 26; 1091(1): 75-8.
• Wagner EB, Granzella NP (2006) The Musculoskeletal Effects of Partial Weightbearing in Mice. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology, Arlington, VA. 2-5 November 2006. 1st Place, Graduate Student Animal Poster Division.
• Quinlivan VH, Aull KH, Weiss JM, Guerra E, Wagner EB (2005) Murine Automated Urine Sampler: Use of Chlorhexidine/N-Propyl Gallate for Hands-Off Small Animal Urine Preservation. Poster presented at the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology Meeting, Reno, NV. 1-4 November 2005.
• Wagner EB, Wooster PD, Keesee JE, Kubert HL, Schaffer AM, Coffee TM (2004) Mars Gravity Biosatellite: International Student Training and Public Outreach: 2004-01-2420. Republished in SAE 2004 Transactions Journal of Aerospace. 937-942.
• Brown EL, Carr CE (2002) Science Considerations for the Mars Gravity Biosatellite. Presented at the Mars Society Conference, Boulder, CO, 8-11 August 2002. Abstract
• Brown EL, Carr CE, Keesee JE (2002) The Mars Gravity Biosatellite: A New Platform for Partial Gravity Research. Poster presented at the Amercian Society for Gravitational and Space Biology Meeting, Cape Canaveral, FL, 6-9 November 2002. Abstract published in Gravitational and Space Biology Bulletin.16 (1), November 2002. Abstract
• Coffee TM, Brown EL, Hoogland JD, Holzinger MJ, Wooster PD (2002) Mars Gravity Biosatellite. Poster presented at the World Space Congress, Houston, TX, 13-19 October 2002.

MASTER'S

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology- Cambridge, MA
• Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Man-Vehicle Lab, Dr. Laurence R. Young



Artificial gravity provides a critical enabling technology for long-duration human missions both within and beyond low earth orbit by providing an integrated countermeasure to microgravity deconditioning. Unfortunately, the constraints of current vehicles necessitate the use of high velocity short-radius centrifuges and rule out large rotating spacecraft. Head turns made at these high rates of rotation introduce a host of problematic vestibular responses, including disorientating illusions of self-motion, improper reflexive eye movements, and motion sickness. Young, et al (2001) provided evidence that, unlike previously believed, the vestibular side effects of 23-rpm short radius centrifugation can be overcome with proper adaptation. We examined the optimization of this protocol by varying the levels of visual-vestibular conflict presented to 33 healthy subjects.


• Brown, EL (2002) Artificial Gravity: The Role of Visual Inputs in Adaptation to Short-Radius Centrifugation. Unpublished SM Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
• Brown, EL (2002) The Role of Visual Inputs in Adaptation to Short-Radius Centrifugation. Poster presented at the Barany Society Satellite Meeting: The Role of the Vestibular Organs in the Exploration of Space, Portland, OR, 1-3 October 2002. Abstract
• Brown EL, Hecht H, & Young LR (2003) Sensorimotor aspects of high-speed artificial gravity: I. Visual-vestibular conflict in context-specific adaptation. Manuscript submitted for publication.
• Hecht, H., Brown, E. L., & Young, L. R. (2002). Adapting to artificial gravity (AG) at high rotational speeds. Journal of Gravitational Physiology, 9 P1-P5. Presented at the 8th European Symposium on Life Sciences Research in Space, Stockholm, 2-7 June 2002. Abstract

BACHELOR'S

• Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN
• Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Spring 2000, Acoustic Detection of Fractures in the Bjork-Shiley Heart Valve, Dr. John Wikswo (Department of Physics)
• Fall 1999, Investigations of Microneurographic Patterns in Awake & Sleeping Patients, Dr. Andrew Ertl (VUMC Clinical Research Center)

OTHER PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

• Newman DJ, Marquez JM, Wagner EB (2004) Explore Space: Integrating Space Biomedical Engineering Education and Research: IAC-04-P.3.09. 55th International Astronautical Congress. Vancouver, Canada, Oct. 4-8, 2004.
• Brown EL (2001) Spacercise: A Challenge-Based Approach to Multi-Level Biomedical Engineering Outreach. Presented at the Biomedical Engineering Society Conference, Durham, NC, 4-7 Oct 2001.
• D’Avila M, Brown EL, Gray ML (2001) Drawing Them in Early: Outreach and Mentoring Programs. Presented at the Biomedical Engineering Society Conference, Durham, NC, October 2001.