Rachael Seidler

Recognized under Tier 9 — Extraterrestrial Healthcare, Rachael Seidler conducts exceptional research into the neurological and sensorimotor effects of spaceflight on the human brain. Seidler's work examining how microgravity alters brain structure, cognitive function, sensorimotor adaptation, and neural plasticity — using neuroimaging and behavioral studies of astronauts before, during, and after flight — addresses a critical and often underappreciated dimension of long-duration space travel. On a mission to Mars, crews will spend months in microgravity and then need to function effectively upon arrival in a partial-gravity environment; understanding and mitigating the neurological consequences of that transition is essential to crew safety and mission success.