The Radiation Biology department addresses the experimental and theoretical prerequisites necessary to provide effective protection from ionizing and non-ionizing radiation in aviation and spaceflight. This encompasses: (i) assessment of radiation exposure at aviation altitudes and for different space mission scenarios using active and passive dosimetry, (ii) development of new dosimeters, and (iii) modeling of radiation fields. In addition, radiation protection guidelines and suitable countermeasures are developed. This challenging task requires the investigation of biological effects of space radiation (especially heavy ions) and other environmental stressors on different test systems at cellular and molecular level. Depth dose distribution measurements and better understanding of the cellular radiation response are also vital to improving cancer radiotherapy, in particular by energetic protons or carbon ions.

The search for life is a central goal of space missions, and microbial contamination of other planets and moons has to be avoided. As such, the department investigates how microbial life is limited by biotic and abiotic factors and which mechanisms are responsible for adaptation to extreme conditions.

Furthermore, the microbial burden and biodiversity in crewed habitats, on spaceships and in cleanrooms are determined so that measures to reduce the microbial burden can be developed and tested.

Biophysics The work of the Biophysics group comprises the investigation of the radiation environment in civil aviation altitudes, in low earth orbits, during interplanetary cruise and on planetary surfaces. Radiation exposures are determined using well characterized passive and active radiation detector systems. More

Radiation Protection in Aviation Life on Earth is very effectively protected against extra-terrestrial radiation by the atmosphere and the magnetic field. The effect of this natural protection diminishes with increasing height above ground and leads to accordingly increased exposures at aviation altitudes, which are primarily caused by the galactic cosmic radiation that impinges continuously on the Earth. More

Biodiagnostics The exposure to the space radiation environment remains a major limiting factor for human long-duration space missions and permanent presence in space habitats due to its high biological effectiveness and the difficulties to effectively shield the radiation. The working group Biodiagnostics develops and applies cellular test systems to monitor and understand the impact of space and environmental conditions (mostly radiation) on humans on a cellular and molecular level. More

Space Microbiology The Space Microbiology Research Group studies how microorganisms survive and adapt to natural and simulated space conditions, such as microgravity, radiation, vacuum, extreme temperature fluctuations, desiccation, etc. More

Astrobiology Astrobiology is a natural sciences research area concerned with the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Astrobiology is interdisciplinary and encompasses amongst other disciplines biology, chemistry, physics, geosciences, planetary sciences and astronomy. The aim of this research is to learn more about the origin and evolution of life on Earth, about the formation of planetary systems, about organic compounds in space and to find out, if life exists or might exist elsewhere. More

Planetary and Space Simulation Facilities The central astrobiological question is the understanding of life and the processes that lead to its origin, evolution and distribution on Earth and beyond, as part of cosmic evolution. The fully equipped and monitored Planetary and Space Simulation facilities allow a broad range of tests with biological and chemical material individually or integrated into space hardware. In the focus of interest are defined and controlled conditions like ultra-high vacuum, gas compositions, low and high temperature limits, temperature oscillations, extraterrestrial UV radiation and X-rays. More

Current and Future Space Experiments The current and future activities will concentrate on the implementation of the spaceflight experiments given in the table. They are based on sustained use of the research capabilities of the ISS and participation in the upcoming exploration missions. More