By Alisha Katz, APR

Conducting high-level research on how space affects the brain and body, two UF students are making their mark on the study of microgravity and motor control.

As summer interns at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Jordan Rodriguez and Sophia Larralde recently helped advance scientists’ understanding of the environmental impacts of space on astronauts. And their once-in-a-lifetime, hands-on experience as undergraduates brought them much closer to achieving their professional goals.

“As we advance toward the future of space exploration, with plans to return to the Moon and eventually colonize Mars, unforeseen health challenges will undoubtedly emerge,” said Larralde, who plans to graduate in 2026 with a bachelor of public health degree. “Looking at how microgravity impacts the brain and aging, and identifying potential health concerns that we might not yet foresee, is crucial. Being part of the solution to these challenges excites me, as it means contributing to the safety and well-being of astronauts and paving the way for society as we move closer to living in extraterrestrial environments.”

Larralde, whose fascination with space exploration was ignited by attending rocket launches as a child, has been steadily turning her lifelong passion into reality. She is currently a student in the College of Public Health & Health Professions and is enrolled in the College of Medicine’s Department of Neuroscience’s NEURON-Aging Program — a National Institutes of Health initiative that allows students to conduct mentored research on brain aging.

Larralde has studied with Rachael Seidler, Ph.D. (a professor in the College of Health & Human Performance’s Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology and the deputy director of the UF Astraeus Space Institute) in the Neuromotor Behavior Lab, investigating the effects of aging and microgravity on brain function and motor control. Seidler is renowned for her research in the neural control of movement in health and disease, and she collaborates with scientists at NASA to better understand how the effects of space can impact an astronaut’s body and brain.

Seidler’s research has inspired both Larralde and Rodriguez, a first-generation college graduate from the Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology who first took her class at UF on motor learning. Rodriguez, a recent graduate, began working in Seidler’s lab and ultimately applied for an internship with NASA that she recommended.

In May, Larralde and Rodriguez traveled to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Texas, where they contributed to advancements in the Neuroscience Lab. Drawing on their knowledge of the vestibular system — a network of structures in the inner ear and brain that control balance and eye movements — they collected, organized, and analyzed data.

The students’ research informed experiments like the CIPHER Vestibular Health study, which focuses on understanding how spaceflight affects the vestibular system, and the Standard Measures Assessment, which establishes a baseline for astronaut health and performance to monitor changes over time.

This work is critical, as astronauts often experience motion sickness — a condition linked to the vestibular system — at the start of a mission and upon returning home, along with short-term mobility issues.

“We helped with experiments and looked at brain stimulations on astronauts, analyzing any good markers to predict how astronauts will do in space and when they come back,” Rodriguez said. “Being exposed to these different environments and meeting scientists from different walks of life profoundly impacted me.”

After the internship, Rodriguez returned to UF for another six weeks to work in Seidler’s lab and continue the research. The ongoing study looked at how participants responded to the impairment of the vestibular system in space. Study participants were given goggles that distorted their vision, as well as two different pairs of gloves – one to mimic what astronauts would wear outside a spacecraft and another pair to mimic what they would wear inside.

For Rodriguez, the entire experience of conducting this research at NASA and in the UF lab was transformative.

“This was a great experience because I challenged myself academically, and the Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology has great professors who have no problem providing students with resources,” said Rodriguez, who earned a bachelor’s degree in applied physiology and kinesiology in August and is now pursuing a career as a patent attorney (bridging the gap between science and law). 

Larralde — who is continuing to work in Seidler’s lab and has set her sights on using medical studies to benefit geriatric patients and astronauts — highlights that mentorship is crucial for achieving success and fostering professional growth.

As Larralde put it, “I encourage everyone to seek out mentors like Professor Seidler, and to learn as much as they can from those who have walked the path before them.”

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