Michael Friedman, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in VCU’s Bone Engineering Science Technology (BEST) Lab, has received a two-year fellowship from the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH).

TRISH conducts cutting-edge research for innovations that reduce risk and better protect humans working in deep space exploration. It is a consortium led by Baylor College of Medicine and includes the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. TRISH was founded in 2016 and is a partner of NASA’s Human Research Program.

“This prestigious award will help me to grow as a scientist,” Friedman said. “Under the guidance of my outstanding mentor, Dr. Henry Donahue, we will investigate the role of genetics in bone and muscle loss from microgravity. This project will provide exciting new information to help mitigate health issues that may arise in future deep space exploration missions.”