Biotek has announced that its Epoch multi-volume spectrophotometer is being used in a study to determine the impact of mental and physical isolation in an Arctic environment on stress markers.
The spectrophotometer is being used by a Wyle scientist at the Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) Research Station on Devon Island, Canada, and will also determine the effect of physical and mental isolation in an Arctic environment on the surface adhesion profile of T lymphocytes.
Human spaceflight is a mentally and physically stressful activity that leads to numerous physiological changes, including those to the body's immune system.
These changes may decrease the crew's ability to combat infections and increase their susceptibility to radiation and cancer development during exploration missions.
The data obtained from Epoch during this research study will provide insight into immune dysfunction mechanisms associated with chronic stress.
Ultimately, researchers hope to develop countermeasures to support long-term human exploration of objects and planets in the solar system.
The HMP site is recognised as one of the best locations on Earth to conduct planetary surface operation simulations.
The Epoch multi-volume spectrophotometer uses monochromator-based optics for absorbance measurements from 200-999nm in six- to 384-well microplates, and an optional Take3 multi-volume plate allows for up to 16 low-volume (2uL) sample measurements, 1cm cuvettes, or Biotek's proprietary Biocell 1cm quartz vessel.
Pre-programmed and user-generated programs are controlled via Gen5 data analysis software.
