Professor Emeritus Tim Hammond's Research Highlighted in White House Science Report
Research by Timothy Hammond, Professor Emeritus of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and member of the Duke SPACE Initiative, has been recognized in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's 2025 science and technology highlights report.
Hammond was part of a research team whose "Fuel to Mars" experiment flew aboard NASA's Artemis I mission. The study examined whether green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) could survive the harsh conditions of deep space, including exposure to galactic cosmic radiation beyond Earth's protective magnetic field. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, suggest that these algae may serve as a versatile resource for future deep-space missions—potentially providing fuel, food, and medicine for astronauts.
The research could also have applications closer to home, informing radiation therapies for patients on Earth.
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