Space medicine in focus: German institute shines at congress in Japan!

Today is June 3rd, 2025

Date: June 3, 2025 – Source 1 ():
– 44th Congress of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology (ISGP) took place from May 18 to 24, 2025 in Sapporo, Japan.
– Approximately 200 participants were present.
– The congress is important for space medicine.
– The Institute for Movement and Neuroscience at the German Sport University Cologne was represented by Prof. Stefan Schneider and Constance Badalì.
– Presentation of projects funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR): SpaceCortex, sPACeMAN and NeurO2flight.
– These projects investigate the effects of weightlessness on brain blood flow and activity.
– The 45th ISGP will take place next year at the German Sport University Cologne.
– Prof. Schneider emphasizes the sports university’s commitment to space medicine for over 40 years.
– The organization of the congress is particularly important in the context of the space initiative of the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia (SpaceTech.NRW).
– Trip to Japan included two seminars at Waseda University, a partner university of the German Sport University Cologne.
– A mutual commitment was made to strengthen the networking of research activities in the life sciences.

Source 2 ():
– Purpose of the ISGP:
– Promoting international exchange and dissemination of scientific knowledge about the biological and physiological effects of gravity on living organisms.
– Consideration of Earth's gravity as well as its changes and interactions with environmental conditions (e.g. isolation, radiation) during space flights or space research.
– Promote the understanding of the physiological roles of gravity and the spatial environment among the public, students and young scientists.
– Identify, support and collaborate with other non-profit or academic organizations that address the effects of gravity and spatial environments on living organisms.

– History of the ISGP:
– Founded in 1979, initially affiliated with the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS).
– In 1991 the ISGP became independent.
– From 1991 to 2021, the ISGP was affiliated with the Galileo Foundation in California, USA.
– In 2021, the ISGP became a scientific association under French law “1901” at the University of Angers, France.

Source 3 ():
– From the winter semester of 2024, a master’s degree program in space medicine and physiology in extreme environments will be offered.
– The course is jointly established by the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Université de Caen Normandie (France) and the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School (Slovenia).
– Application deadline for those interested is March 1st.
– The course examines the effects of weightlessness, isolation and extreme environmental conditions on humans.
– The health consequences of spending time in weightlessness include muscle loss, bone loss and psychological stress.
– Research in this area is relevant for longer manned flights into space and emerging space tourism.
– Extreme conditions on Earth, such as high/low temperatures and isolation, are also examined.
– Findings from space medicine can also be applied to conditions on earth, e.g. in cases of lack of exercise or loneliness.
– The master’s degree program is aimed at graduates from medicine, engineering or natural/kinetic sciences.
– Students spend one semester at each of the three universities and work on research projects with partner organizations such as NASA, ESA and DLR.
– Graduates receive a joint Erasmus Mundus master’s degree.
– There are 13 study places available in the first year and scholarships are available.
– The language of instruction is English.
– The EU is funding the course with around 4.7 million euros.