28 June 2007

From outer space to inner space

Photo opportunity: Monday July 2nd, 3.15 pm.
Wellcome Trust Building, University of Dundee

A team of astronauts who have helped explore outer space will be led on a voyage of discovery into `innerspace’ at the University of Dundee on Monday July 2nd.

The NASA-led group of space adventurers have been brought to Dundee by local businessman, Mr John Beaton MBE, who has worked closely with NASA to establish a "Space School" for Scottish children. The astronauts were invited to visit the College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee and to meet some of the world leading researchers who are working in Dundee.

The group of visitors includes five-time space shuttle veteran Bonnie Dunbar, now Curator of The Museum of Flight in Seattle, who is making a return to familiar ground - she is an honorary graduate of the University and her grandfather was a Dundonian.

She will be joined on the visit by current astronaut Jim Reilly, newly returned from a mission to the International Space Station (his third space mission), George Abbey, retired Director of the NASA Johnson Space Center, Russian cosmonaut Vladamir Titov, John Smith MBE, former Security Consultant to George Abbey and a former Sergeant Major in the Black Watch, and Patricia Tribe, Senior Educator, Space Center Houston.

The party will meet Professors Mike Ferguson and Angus Lamond, who lead major teams pioneering research into tropical disease and gene expression. They will be shown the outstanding Light Microscopy Facility, where Dundee researchers are exploring the `inner space’ of the cell and will also see the pioneering Drug Discovery Unit housed within the College.

They will also visit the laboratory of Dr Keith Baar, who is researching how muscles can be developed without the need for exercise. This is particularly relevant to astronauts as muscle atrophy caused by living in a zero gravity atmosphere is a major issue in space travel.

The Space School works with primary school children from the age of 10 to encourage them to think about the sciences and engineering. The school works with around 50 children at a summer school which starts next week in Dundee, showing the fun side of subjects like maths, physics and engineering.

The programme will be rolled out to Aberdeen next year.

The College of Life Sciences at Dundee is a major centre for research into cancer, diabetes and tropical diseases.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk