BEEP - Biology for human space exploration
IV EDITION | ON SITE | APPLICATION
Deadline for registration -EXTENDED
May 24th, 2026
Period
July 13-17th, 2026
Learning objectives
The Seasonal School offers a unique opportunity to gain focused knowledge about the biological and physiological impacts of space travel on the human body and other living organisms, highlighting at the same time the opportunities it offers for protecting and improving human life on Earth. Space exploration has provided experimental biologists with a new and unprecedented way to study life. However, it has also been revealed that differences in fundamental environmental parameters compared to Earth must be understood to ensure the safety and feasibility of life and work in extraterrestrial environments. This need is increasingly urgent with the rise of commercial access to and exploitation of space, as major space agencies including the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency are planning human outposts in space with the support of industrial investments. Elements of Space Law and research on Life Cycle Assessment will also be provided.
Teaching methodologies
Multidisciplinary seminars and lecturers from Academia as well as from space agencies and industry will introduce the most critical biomedical challenges to human space exploration, in a lively, interactive environment. Topics include gravitational biology, with reference to molecular and cell biology for microgravity and hypergravity; physiology and chronobiology in extreme environments; ground simulations of microgravity; hybernation for long duration missions; a broad overview of life support systems: from robotics applied to telemedicine for remote medical interventions, to production of vegetable foods, fertilization of extraterrestrial soil, architectures for humans on celestial bodies. A site visit to Kayser Italia, srl (Livorno) will end the course, with demonstration of hardware and software for biology and physiology experiments in space missions.
Target participants
Undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students from different backgrounds (e.g. law, political science, life sciences and engineering) who are interested in space research.
Coordinator and key teaching staff
Coordinator: Prof. Debora Angeloni
Key teaching staff: Debora Angeloni, Ivana Barravecchia, Valentina Colla, Matteo Dell’Acqua, Maria Gagliardi, Alberto Giannoni, Anna Mensuali, Monia Niero, Calogero Oddo, Chiara Pucciariello, Donato Romano.
Concluding remarks, Paolo Nespoli (ESA Astronaut, ret.).
SDGs (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)
3. Good Health and Well-being, 4. Quality Education, 8. Decent work and economic growth