iss056e097340

iss056e097340 (July 18, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Drew Feustel works inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox inspecting mice being observed as part of the Rodent Research-7 experiment. Feustel measured the rodent's breathing and mass for the study that examines how the space environment affects the community of microoganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of mice (also known as the microbiota). It also looks at microgravity’s effects on multiple physiological systems known to be affected by the microbiota, including the gastrointestinal, immune, metabolic, circadian, and sleep systems. These studies help explain mechanisms underlying interactions between these systems and the role of the microbiota in these interactions.