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Unlocking microbial secrets for health on Earth and beyond
- A Perspective in npj Biofilms and Microbiomes links biofilms to health during long space missions and on Earth.
- Researchers from Glasgow, Maynooth and UCD coordinate with NASA’s open science to study biofilms as a health frontier.
- Biofilms are framed as the dominant microbial lifestyle that supports healthy systems, not just infections to combat.
- Spaceflight simulations can alter biofilm architecture and gene regulation, varying by species and platform.
- The article advocates multiomics to uncover biofilm mechanisms at plant roots and in interkingdom communities.
- NASA GeneLab and the open science ecosystem support shared data and cross-mission research.
- Lead author Dr. Katherine J. Baxter emphasizes spaceflight insights can inform earth health and agriculture.
- The work advocates translating spaceflight biofilm findings into health and agriculture applications on Earth.
- The study frames open science as essential to maximize mission learnings and accelerate real-world use.
- The article presents a roadmap for coordinated, multispecies biofilm research in space and on Earth.
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