|  About  |  Biochemical  |   Cognition  |  Gene Expression  |   Epigenomics  |  Immunome  |  Integrative Omics  |  Metabolomics |  Microbiome |  Proteomics  |  Telomeres  | Twins Study Research Locations

About the Researchers

The Twin Study propelled NASA into the genomics era of space travel. It was a ground-breaking study comparing what happened to astronaut Scott Kelly, in space, to his identical twin brother, Mark, who remained on Earth. The perfect nature versus nurture study was born.

The Twins Study brought ten research teams from around the country together to accomplish one goal: discover what happens to the human body after spending one year in space. By measuring large numbers of metabolites, cytokines, and proteins, researchers learned that spaceflight is associated with oxygen deprivation stress, increased inflammation, and dramatic nutrient shifts that affect gene expression.

For more information on NASA’s Twins Study, go to NASA’s Twins Study Results Published in Science.

Visit the Human Research Program homepage