First Turkish astronaut Alper Gezeravcı to conduct 2 experiments today

First Turkish astronaut Alper Gezeravcı will conduct gene and microalgae experiments today (January 23) as part of his work on the International Space Station (ISS).

Alper Gezeravcı is continuing the 13 experiments he is scheduled to perform during his stay on the ISS in accordance with his agenda.

Today, Gezeravcı will conduct the "UzMAn" experiment, which is under the responsibility of Boğaziçi University faculty member Dr. Berat Haznedaroğlu, in the field of microalgae life support units for space missions.

This experiment aims to develop a life support unit for closed systems to test the growth and durability of microalgae species that adapt to harsh conditions on Earth under microgravity conditions, to examine their metabolic changes, and to determine their carbon dioxide capture performance and oxygen production capabilities.

GENE RESEARCH EXPERIMENT WILL ALSO BE CONDUCTED

The second experiment Gezeravcı will perform is the investigation of CRISPR-GEM gene editing efficiency in plants under microgravity, a project managed by Tuğçe Celayir from Yıldız Technical University.

This experiment aims to investigate the effectiveness of CRISPR, one of the modern gene editing techniques of molecular biology, on plants in a microgravity environment, in order to understand and improve the defense mechanisms of plants—which are the backbone of bioregenerative life support systems—against biological and non-biological stresses that occur during space missions.

Gezeravcı began his experiments with "EXTREMOPHYTE," which investigates the physiological and molecular responses of the endemic halophyte plant Schrenkiella Parvula, which grows in Lake Tuz, to the space environment.

News Source: AA