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Millie Hughes-Fulford: Scientist in Space A resource for using QUEST video in the classroom Watch it online http://science.kqed.org/quest/video/millie-hughes-fulford-scientist-in-space/ | 10:11 minutes QUEST SUBJECTS PROGRAM NOTES Life Science Biology Health Environment Earth Science Geology Climate Weather Astronomy Physical Science NASA’s space program became a celebrated endeavor during the successful Moon landing in 1969, but few people link NASA and medical research. At the inception of NASA’s Apollo Program in the 1960s, scientists discovered a link between gravity and human health. As the government space program now draws to an end, we go to Marin County to visit former astronaut Millie Hughes-Fulford, the first female working scientist to travel into space, still conducting experiments in space to further medical understanding. In this segment you’ll find… ۞ information on medical experiments done in space. Physics Chemistry Engineering ۞ a description of the immune system and the importance of T cells. ۞ an explanation of gravity’s influence on the human immune system. CA SCIENCE STANDARDS Grades 9-12 Physiology (Biology) 9. (e, f) why an individual with a compromised immune system (for example, a person with AIDS) may be unable to fight off and survive infections by microorganisms that are usually benign; the roles of phagocytes, B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes in the immune system. TOPIC BACKGROUND At the time of the first Apollo missions in the 1960s, half the astronauts became ill during their flight or soon after coming home. Scientists realized that the pull of Earth’s gravity kept the human body healthy. In a zero gravity environment, the human body experiences alterations at the cellular level that can lead to changes in muscle tissue and bone loss. In 1991, molecular biologist Millie Hughes-Fulford was on NASA’s first mission to conduct medical research in space. She will send her ninth experiment into space in 2012, this time funded privately. She hopes it will help her understand which genes in our immune system malfunction in the absence of gravity. T cells, a type of immune system cell, are part of the army that makes up the body’s defenses. Born in the thymus, T cells activate other immune cells to combat disease. Their primary function is to regulate the other branches of the immune system in order to create antibodies, which are proteins that attack foreign invaders. Without healthy T cells, the body is unable to fight off invaders such as the influenza virus or tuberculosis bacteria. Scientists are learning that T cells need gravity in order to activate the proper genes and correctly carry out their critical functions. Other scientific experiments in space focus on how a zero gravity environment affects aging and the health of the cardiovascular system. The implications of medical research in space could be as far-reaching as aiding future astronauts going to more distant destinations, like Mars. And because this research helps us understand basic physiological processes, it will likely help those on Earth with health disorders as well. Additional Resources: Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology at UCSF http://www.gladstone.ucsf.edu/gladstone/site/givi/ Millie Hughes-Fulford: Scientist in Space Educator Guide www.kqed.org/quest PRE-VIEWING VOCABULARY Adaptive immunity part of the immune system that targets specific diseasecausing agents and attempts to destroy them Gene a segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait such as eye color Immuno-suppression a weakening of the body’s natural immune system due to factors such as aging, disease or bacteria Payload specialists scientists who explore space and carry out experiments to further our understanding of life on Earth T cells white blood cells, or lymphocytes, that are central to proper functioning of the body’s immune system Thymus an immune system organ near the heart that manufactures T cells How does the immune system work? What causes an immune system to become compromised? In what ways might research in space benefit our understanding of human physiology? VIEWING FOCUS NOTE: You may choose to watch the video segment twice with your students: once to get an overview of the topic and again to focus on facts and draw out opinions. What is the focus of Hughes-Fulford’s research? How does gravity affect the immune system? What are the implications of Hughes-Fulford’s research? Now that the space shuttle program has ended, what is the future of medical research conducted in space? For all media see: Segment Summary Student Sheet http://www.kqed.org/quest/downloads/QUEST_SegSum_StudentSheet.pdf Personal Response Student Sheet http://www.kqed.org/quest/downloads/QUEST_PersResp_StudentSheet.pdf LESSON PLANS and RESOURCES from QUEST, PBS and NPR Fighting Back PBS LearningMedia http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/content/tdc02.sci.life.stru.mumpsweb/ In this interactive feature from the NOVA: Surviving AIDS Web site, students are put in charge of destroying a virus that is running wild inside a cell. Students learn why invasion by HIV is unique and devastating. Immune Cells in Action PBS LearningMedia http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/content/tdc02.sci.life.stru.immune/ In this video segment from The Secret of Life teaching modules: "Nothing to Sneeze At: Viruses," watch as a virus attacks a cell and learn how the immune system reacts to this onslaught. Bacteria Grown in Space Become More Deadly NPR http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14653292 In this All Things Considered broadcast, listen to how a study aboard one space mission showed how spaceflight affects the strength of salmonella, bacteria that cause food poisoning. Space Eggs NPR http://www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141356524/video-pick-space-eggs Join Don Pettit, a NASA astronaut who has logged nearly six months on the International Space Station, as he talks to Ira Flatow about spinning eggs in space. Millie Hughes-Fulford: Scientist in Space Educator Guide www.kqed.org/quest VISIT OUR PARTNERS The Bay Institute www.bay.org California Academy of Sciences www.calacademy.org Chabot Space and Science Center www.chabotspace.org East Bay Regional Park District www.ebparks.org Exploratorium www.exploratorium.edu Girl Scouts of Northern California www.girlscoutsnorcal.org Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy www.parksconservancy.org The J. David Gladstone Institutes www.gladstone.ucsf.edu Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory www.lbl.gov Lawrence Hall of Science MORE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR USING QUEST MULTIMEDIA TO ENHANCE 21st CENTURY SKILLS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Why Use Multimedia in Science Education? http://science.kqed.org/quest/files/downloads/2011/06/QUESTWhyMedia.pdf Read about the importance of using multimedia in the 21st century science classroom. How to Use Science Media for Teaching and Learning http://science.kqed.org/quest/files/downloads/2011/06/QUESTMediaTips.pdf A collection of tips, activities and handouts to actively engage students with multimedia. Science Multimedia Analysis http://science.kqed.org/quest/files/downloads/2011/06/QUESTMediaAnalysis. pdf Give your students the tools to recognize the purposes and messages of science multimedia. Create Online Science Hikes with Google Maps http://science.kqed.org/quest/files/downloads/2011/06/QUEST_ExplorationCr eation.pdf Do you like the science hike Explorations on the QUEST site? Use this place-based educational guide to create similar science-based maps with youth. Media-Making Toolkit for Science Education http://science.kqed.org/quest/education/media-making-toolkit/ Are you interested in integrating media making into your classroom or science education program? Find instructions, worksheets and rubrics for implementing simple media-making projects with students. www.lawrencehallofscience.org Monterey Bay Aquarium www.mbayaq.org OTHER WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN QUEST Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute www.mbari.org LOG ON Oakland Zoo www.kqed.org/quest www.oaklandzoo.org Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment http://woods.stanford.edu The Tech Museum of Innovation www.thetech.org UC Berkeley Natural History Museums LISTEN KQED 88.5 FM San Francisco & 89.3 FM Sacramento WATCH KQED Channel 9 http://bnhm.berkeley.edu/ Major funding for QUEST is provided by the National Science Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional support is provided by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, and the George and Jeanette Stuart Charitable Trust. QUEST is a production of KQED, © 2011 KQED, San Francisco