Sharmila Bhattacharya

Affiliation: Biological and Physical Sciences Division

Professional Background

Biography:

• 2019-present, Subject Matter Expert, US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
• 2002—present, Principal Investigator for Biomodel Performance Laboratory, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center
• 2016–2019 Principal Investigator for MVP-FLY-01 mission launched on April 2, 2018
• 2013—present, Lead Scientist and Principal Investigator, BioSentinel mission (to be launched on NASA’s Exploration Mission-1 as a secondary payload); and to the International Space Station as a separate experiment)
• 2015–2018 Principal Investigator for FFL-01 (2015), Co-Investigator for FFL-02 (2017), and FFL-03 (2018), spaceflight experiments on the International Space Station
• 2014 Principal Investigator for AFEx; Co-Investigator for HEART-FLIES missions
• 2012—present, Discipline Scientist for NASA Space Biology
• 2005—2009  Principal Investigator for Drosophila  “Fungal Immunity and Tumors (FIT)” investigation that launched aboard STS-121 on July 4, 2006
• 2007—2008  Chief Scientist, Small Spacecraft Program, NASA Ames Research Center
• 2007  Special Assistant to NASA Ames Center Director
• 2005  Chief Scientist for Astrobionics, working with small self-contained biodetector payload development, NASA Ames Research Center
• 2005  Brookhaven National Laboratory Summer School in Radiation Biology
• 2004—2005  Project Scientist for Drosophila container development and testing for the European Modular Cultivation hardware on International Space Station
• 2004  Acting Project Manager for Small Payloads overseeing multiple payloads for shuttle missions as well as Progress and Soyuz flights
• 1999—2004  NASA Ames Research Center, Lead Scientist, Insect Habitat, Lockheed Martin. Space Station Biological Research Projects
• 1999—2000  NASA Ames Research Center, Payload Scientist, STS 106/2a.2b, Lockheed
• 1998  Lecturer/Course Director, University of California, Santa Cruz, Neurobiology
• 1995—1999  Stanford University, postdoctoral research in Drosophila neurobiology
• 1988 (Jan. to Aug.)  Research Technician, Molecular Biology, Princeton University

Education:
Stanford University, California. Post-doctoral 1995–1999 Neurobiology
Princeton University, New Jersey. M.A. & Ph.D. 1988–February 1995 Molecular Biology
Wellesley College, Massachusetts. B.A. 1985–December 1987 Biological Chemistry
Presidency College, Kolkata, India. B.Sc (Part 1) 1983–1985 Human Physiology

Research Interests:
The Bhattacharya lab studies the effects of the spaceflight environment on biological systems. In order to understand the underlying molecular biological changes that accompany an exposure to an altered gravity environment, along with the elevated levels of highly ionizing radiation of space, the lab uses simple but well-characterized model organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast) for their experiments. Other model systems such as mammalian cell cultures and microbial cells are also used in the lab. One area of interest includes the effects of altered gravity on the immune response of the fly host coupled with changes in the pathogenicity of microbes. Dr. Bhattacharya served as the Principal Investigator for the first shuttle flight experiment that utilized fruit flies to understand the effects of spaceflight on the immune system. The lab also investigates neurobehavioral changes to altered gravity environments using fruit flies, and measures oxidative stress related changes in the nervous system. The lab is involved in collaborative projects with universities and other research institutes outside of NASA to study, for example, cardiovascular function and host parasite interactions during spaceflight.
Another important aspect of the spaceflight environment is radiation, and the team working on the Biosentinel project is involved in understanding the effects of highly ionizing radiation on DNA damage using yeast cells. This is particularly important in the context of future deep space missions.
Select Journal Publications:

1. R.G. Gilbert, M.Torres, R.Clemens, S.Hateley, R.Hosamani, W.Wade, S.Bhattacharya (2019). Spaceflight and simulated microgravity conditions increase virulence of Serratia marcescens in the Drosophila melanogaster infection model. Nature Micrograv. Sept 2019. Accepted pending minor revisions.
2. C.G. Tahimic, A.M. Paul, A.S. Schreurs, S. Torres, L. Rubinstein, S. Steczina, M. Lowe, S. Bhattacharya, J.S. Alwood, A. Ronca, R.K. Globus (2019). Influence of Social Isolation During Prolonged Simulated Weightlessness by Hindlimb Unloading. Front. Physiol. 10:1147. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01147
3. M.E. Heavner, J. Ramroop, G. Gueguen, G. Ramrattan, G. Dolios, J. Crissman, M. Scarpati, J. Kwait, S. Bhattacharya, E.A. Miller, R. Wang, S. Singh, S. Govind, (2017).  Novel organelles with elements of bacterial and eukaryotic secretion systems weaponize parasites of Drosophila. Curr Biol. 2017 Sep 6. pii: S0960-9822(17)31028-X. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.019.
4. T. Straume, T. Slaba, S. Bhattacharya, L.A. Braby (2017). Radiation information for designing and interpreting biological experiments on board missions beyond low Earth orbit. Life Sciences in Space Research, 13:51-59. doi: 10.1016/j.lssr.2017.04.002
5. R. Hosamani, R. Leib, S. R. Bhardwaj, C.M. Adams, S. Bhattacharya (2016). Elucidating the ‘Gravome’: Quantitative Proteomic Profiling of the Response to Chronic Hypergravity in Drosophila. J. of Proteome Research, 15(12):4165-4175. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00030 http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00030
6. S. Hateley, R. Hosamani, S. R. Bhardwaj, L. Pachter, S. Bhattacharya (2016). Transcriptomic response of Drosophila melanogaster pupae developed in hypergravity. Genomics, 108: 158-167. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2016.09.002
7. A.J.Ricco, R.Hanel, S.Bhattacharya, T.Boone, M.Tan, A.Mousavi, A. Rademacher, A. Schooley, B.Klamm, J. Benton (2016). The BioSentinel Bioanalytical Microsystem: Characterizing DNA Radiation Damage in Living Organisms Beyond Earth Orbit. Proceedings of Hilton Head Workshop: A Solid State Sensors, Actuators, and Microsystems Workshop. 2016:0092
8. P. A. Parsons-Wingerter, R. Hosamani, M. B. Vickerman, and S. Bhattacharya (2015). Mapping by VESGEN of Wing Vein Phenotype in Drosophila for Quantifying Adaptations to Space Environments. Gravitational and Space Research; 3(2): 54-64.
9. H.C. Chiamori, N. Broad, C.Angadi, R. Miller, C. Chapin, A. Suria, S. Bhattacharya, D. Senesky. Irradiation Response of Graphene Enhanced Gallium Nitride Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Ultraviolet Photodetectors. MRS Online Proceedings. Vol. 1746. https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2015.397
10. H. C. Chiamori, N. Broad, C. Angadi, R. Miller, A. Suria, S. Bhattacharya, D. G. Senesky (2014). Irradiation Response of Graphene Enhanced Gallium Nitride Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Ultraviolet Photodetectors. Proc. Mat Rsch Soc (Dec 2014) http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/opl.2015.397
11. A. Shankar, C. M. Lin, C. Angadi, S. Bhattacharya, N. Broad and D. G. Senesky (2014). Impact of gamma irradiation on GaN/sapphire surface acoustic wave resonators” in Proc IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) pp 2560-2563 (Sept 2014) 10.1109/ULTSYM.2014.0639
12. H. C. Chiamori, C. Angadi, A. Suria, A. Shankar, M. Hou, S. Bhattacharya and D. G. Senesky (2014). Effects of radiation and temperature on gallium nitride (GaN) metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors. Proc. SPIE vol 9113, Sensors for Extreme Harsh Environments, 911304 (June 5, 2014); doi:10.1117/12.2050983
13. A. Shankar, C. Angadi, S. Bhattacharya, C. Lin, D. G. Senesky (2014). Characterization of Irradiated and Temperature-compensated Gallium Nitride Surface Acoustic Wave Resonators. Proc. SPIE vol 9113, Sensors for Extreme Harsh Environments, 91130B (June 4, 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2050838
14. B. Lewis, R. Hanel, S. Bhattacharya, A.J.Ricco, E.Agasid, D.Reiss-Bubenheim, T. Straume, M.Parra, T. Boone, S. Santa Maria, M. Tan, R. Bowman, M. Sorgenfrei, M. Nehrenz, M. Gandlin, T. Lusby, V. Kuroda, C. Pires, A. Rademacher, J. Benton, S. Wu, B. Klamm, C. Friedericks, C. Hake, B. Gail Swan, E. Semones, S. Wheeler, C.M. Ott, S. Gavalas, S. Castro (2014). BioSentinel: Monitoring DNA Damage Repair Beyond Low Earth Orbit on a 6U Nanosatellite. Proc. of AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites: 2014:SSC14-VII-3
15. C. Angadi, H. Chiamori, H. P. Sundaramoorthy, S. Bhattacharya, D. G. Senesky (2013). Characterization of wide bandgap microsystems components for nano, pico and femto-satellite applications. Proceedings of 64th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2013), pp. IAC-13.E2.2.4
16. K. L. Chan, O. Inan, S. Bhattacharya, O. Marcu (2012). Estimating the speed of Drosophila locomotion using an automated behavior detection and analysis system. Fly; 2012 Jul 1;6(3).
17. Y. Nigam, J. Knight, S. Bhattacharya, A. Bayer (2012). Physiological changes associated with Aging and Immobility. JAgingRsch; 2012:468469, doi:10.1155/2012/468469
18. A. Chatterjee, I. Diordieva, K. Yumoto, R. K. Globus, S. Bhattacharya (2012). Protein array profiling of mouse serum, 6 months post whole body radiation with 56Fe. JToxicolSci; 37(1):215
19. A.J. Ricco, J.W. Hines, E. Agasid, M. Parra, B. Bebout, S. Bhattacharya, P. Ehrenfreund, L. Jahnke, O. Marcu, W. Nicholson, R. Quinn, O. Santos (2012). Small Satellite-Derived Microfluidic and Microanalytical Technologies for Mars Surface Bio/Chemical Hazards Assessment. Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration, 2012:4102. 2012LPICo1679.4102R
20. O. T. Inan, O. Marcu, M. E. Sanchez, S. Bhattacharya, G. Kovacs (2011). A portable system for monitoring the behavioral activity of Drosophila. JNeurosci Meth; 202(1):42-52 (SB corresp. author)
21. O. Marcu, M. P. Lera, M. E. Sanchez, E. Levic, L. A. Higgins, A. Shmygelska, T. F. Fahlen, H. Nichol, and S. Bhattacharya (2011). Innate immune responses of Drosophila melanogaster are altered by spaceflight. PLoS One; 6(1): p. e15361, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015361
22. A. Chatterjee, A. Wang, M. Lera, S. Bhattacharya. (2010). Lunar soil simulant uptake causes a dose dependent increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. J of Toxicol and Environ Health A, 73(9): 623-6.
23. O.T. Inan, M. Etemadi, M.E. Sanchez, M.E., Marcu, S. Bhattacharya, G.T.A. Kovacs (2009). A miniaturized video system for monitoring the locomotor activity of Drosophila melanogaster in space and terrestrial settings. IEEE Transactions on Biomed Engg, 56(2):522-524.
24. T. Fahlen, M. Sanchez, M. Lera, E. Blazevic, J. Chang, & S. Bhattacharya(2006). A Study of the Effects of Spaceflight on the Immune Response in D. melanogaster. Grav & Space Biol. 19(2):133
25. M. Sanchez, M. Shenasa, A. Maldonado, A. Kakavand, D. Leskovsky, E. Houston, A. Howard, M. K. Steele, and S. Bhattacharya (2006). Development of EMCS hardware for Multigenerational Growth of Drosophila melanogaster in space (Part II). Grav & Space Biol. 19(2):127
26. M. Sanchez, M. Shenasa, E. Blazevic, A. Maldonado, A. Kakavand, and S. Bhattacharya (2005). Selecting a Nutritional Media for Multigenerational Growth of Drosophila in Space. Drosophila Information Services Journal. 88:135.
27. M. Sanchez, M. Shenasa, A. Kakavand, R. S. Stowers, D. Leskovsky, S. Bhattacharya (2005). Development of the EMCS hardware for multigenerational growth of Drosophila melanogaster in space (Part I). Gravitational and Space Biol. 18(2):93.
28. S. Bhattacharya, R. Bowman, F. Donovan, B. Girten, E. Hill, M. Kirven-Brooks, & O. Santos (2002). Developing New Habitats for Life Science Experiments on the International Space Station. Drosophila Information Services Journal. 85:156-168.
29. S. Bhattacharya, B. A. Stewart, B. A. Niemeyer, R. W. Burgess, B. D. McCabe, P. Lin, G. Boulianne, C. J. O’Kane, & T. L. Schwarz (2002). Members of the Synaptobrevin/VAMP Family in Drosophila are Functionally Interchangeable in-vivo for Neurotransmitter Release and Cell Viability. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 99(21):13867-13872.
30. S. Bhattacharya, R. Bowman, F. Donovan, B. Girten, E. Hill, M. Kirven-Brooks, & O. Santos (2001). The Space Station Biological Research Project: Habitat Development and Capabilities. Publication of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. 4984:1-11.
31. V. Kern, S. Bhattacharya, R. Bowman, C. Elland, B. Girten, E. M. Goolish, M. Kirven-Brooks, K. Lagel, G. Meeker, O. Santos, & C. Wade (2001). Life Sciences Flight Hardware Development for the International Space Station. Advanced Space Research. 27:1023-1030.
32. S. Bhattacharya, L. Chen, J. R. Broach, & S. Powers (1995). Ras Membrane Targeting is Essential for Glucose Signaling but not for Viability in Yeast. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 92:2984-2988.
33. F. S. Neumann-Silberberg, S. Bhattacharya, & J. R. Broach (1995). Nutrient Availability and RAS/cAMP Both Induce Expression of Ribosomal Protein Genes in Saccharomyces but by Different Mechanisms. Molecular and Cellular Biology. 15:3187-3196

NASA Publications:

• Life Beyond Low Earth Orbit (LBLEO) NASA Report (2018).
• A. Chatterjee, S. Bhattacharya, C. M. Ott (2012). The Risk of Adverse Health Effects Due to Alterations in Host-Microorganism Interactions. NASA Human Research Projects Evidence Book. Peer reviewed, review article.
• S. Bhattacharya, O. Inan, G. Kovacs, M. Etemadi, M. Sanchez, O. Marcu (2011). A Miniaturized Video System for Monitoring Drosophila Behavior. NASA Tech Briefs, 25(4):46. (NASA Report/Patent Number: ARC-16338-1)

Other Information

Select Links to Recent Press:

• Press Briefing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on the science on board SpaceX-14 launch, April 1, 2018
  • (i) “What’s on Board Briefing” to the Press at https://images.nasa.gov/details-KSC-20180401-VP-MMS01-CRS14_Whats_On_Board_Science_Briefing-3187034.html
  • (ii) Images at https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasakennedy/
  • (iii) Short Youtube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHvU42lpzJI&feature=youtu.be
• Front page article entitled “Before Tesla, SpaceX took city scientist’s flies to space” in the Times of India (Feb 8, 2018)
• Articles in the Bengali vernacular newspaper “Bartaman” in Kolkata, India on Feb 8, 2018 and also on Mar 17, 2018
• Recorded for Silicon Valley Podcast series (December 2017)
• Due to broad public appeal of the Straume et al (2017) journal article in Life Sciences in Space Research, this article was highlighted by Elsevier Publishers in a follow up article that can be seen at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/life-sciences-in-space-research/highlighted-articles/radiation-en-route-a-step-towards-measuring-the-health-impac
• Featured in USA Today’s 88-page special issue on NASA, in a full-length feature entitled, “Space at the Top: Women have long been an integral part of NASA’s history and heritage. Meet four who are helping to propel the agency into the future” (USA Today, Oct. 12, 2015)
• NASA TV video “Space Station Live: Fruit Fly Lab” (YouTube, Jan. 14, 2015)
• Feature story “Lights, Camera, Artificial Gravity! The Premiere of NASA’s Fruit Fly Lab” (NASA.gov, Dec. 12, 2014)
• NASA TV interview “Space Station Live: Fruit Flies in Space” (YouTube, Sept. 17, 2014)
• NASA TV panel discussion “SpaceX CRS-4 Model Organisms Cargo Previewed” on value of model organisms to spaceflight research (YouTube, Sept. 18, 2014)
• Feature story, “Buzzing With Activity: Fruit Flies Orbit Earth for Science” (NASA.gov, Sept. 17, 2014)
• Feature story, “Heart Flies Experiment To Use Fruit Flies To Study Effects Of Space Flight On The Heart” includes video interview recorded at Kennedy Space Center (Spaceflight Insider (May 6, 2014)
• Radio/Web feature, “NASA Sends Fruit Flies to Space to Prep for Mars Missions” (KQED radio, March 24, 2014.)
• Space Florida News Release, “TWO SPACE FLORIDA ISS RESEARCH COMPETITION WINNERS…” (Mar. 10, 2014)
• Feature story, “In Space Could Rotation Make the Immune System Stronger?” (Insidescience.com, Mar. 3, 2014)
• Feature story, “How fruit flies will get us to Mars” (Csmonitor.com, Nov. 25,2013)
• Feature story, “NASA’s Next ‘Top Model,’ The Fruit Fly” (NASA.gov, Nov. 14, 2013)
• Feature story, “Studying space travel with fruit flies” (SFgate.com, Jan. 6, 2013) (San Francisco Chronicle print article, Jan. 7, 2013)
• Feature “The mutant fruit flies that tell us about human disease” (BBC.com, Mar. 23, 2012)
• Interview (video/web) featured on “Women at NASA” website (NASA.gov, 2011)

Patent Applications:

• “Compact Science Experiment Module” patent filed via NASA Ames Research Center (NASA case # ARC-17702-1) to the US Patent and Trademark Office (Patent Application No. 15/268,187) in collaboration with Terry Lusby, Chetan Angadi and Siddharth Pandey (provisional patent filed on Sept 21, 2015; final patent submission on Sept 16, 2016; patent awarded on Jan 31, 2018)
• “Mapping and Quantification by VESGEN of Wing Vein Phenotypes in Drosophila from Environmental and Other Adaptations” submitted to NASA Ames Research Center in partnership with Dr. P. Parsons-Wingerter. E-NTR# 1415041400 (filed/submitted Nov. 2014)

Honors, Awards, and Special Accomplishments:

• Ames Honor Award for the successful launch of the MVP-Fly-01 experiment, 2018
• NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, 2018
• NASA Honor Award for Group Achievement for the successful launch of the FFL-02 experiment, 2018
• NASA Ames Technology Transfer Award: for successful development and commercialization of spaceflight hardware, 2017
• NASA Ames Honor Award: for a successful launch of the FFL-01 experiment, 2015
• International Space Station NASA Spaceflight Awareness Awards for successful launch of experiment on SpaceX-3, 2014
• NASA Tech Briefs Award, for developing new optical detection device, NASA Ames, 2011
• NASA Ames Honor Award as Principal Investigator for successful flight experiment NASA, 2006
• Awarded NASA Research Grant for flight experiment in Fly Immunity & Tumors (FIT), 2005
• NASA Ames Honor Award as Acting Project Manager for successful flight experiment, 2004
• Nova Award for Technical Excellence, Lockheed Martin, 2003 (Lockheed’s highest honor, awarded to only about 40 employees out of a total of 125,000 agency-wide)
• Top Flight Award for Technical Excellence, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, 2003 (awarded to about 30 employees out of about 10,000 employees in the entire Space Operations Division)
• NASA Fundamental Space Biology grant for feasibility studies for ISGEN (In-situ Space Gene Expression on Nanosatellites), 2003
• Lightning Award, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, NASA Ames, 2002
• Lightning Award, Lockheed Martin Engineering & Science, NASA Ames, 2001
• Top Flight Nomination, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, 2001
• NASA Ames Contractor Council Excellence Award, NASA Ames, 2000
• National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award, Stanford University, 1998-2000
• National Institutes of Health Cardiac & Electrophysiology Training Grant Award, Stanford University, 1998
• American Heart Association Post-doctoral Fellowship, Stanford University, 1995-97
• Horton-Hallowell Graduate Research Fellowship, Princeton University, 1989
• Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, 1988
• Sigma Xi Honor Society, 1988
• Biology Prize, Wellesley College, 1988
• Dana Grant for Undergraduate Summer Research, Wellesley College, 1987
• Distinction Letter for Academics, Wellesley College, 1986
• Dana Grant for Undergraduate Summer Research, Wellesley College, 1986

Lab Team Members:

Current Staff:
Sergio Santa Maria, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Siddhita Mhatre, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Janani Iyer, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Amber Paul, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Lauren Liddell, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Rachel R. Gilbert, Ph.D. (Contractor)

Current Students:
Jhony Zavaleta
Past Lab Members:
Past Staff/Postdoctoral Fellows
Chetan Angadi (Contractor)
Christina Cheung (Contractor)
Medaya Torres (Contractor)
Michael Dougherty, Ph.D.  (Contractor)
Ann-Sofie Scheurs, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Diana Marina, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Amy Gresser, Ph.D. (Contractor)
Rachel Clemens-Grisham, PhD
Shilpa R. Bhardwaj, M.Sc.
Max Sanchez
Thomas Fahlen, Ph.D.
Oana Marcu, Ph.D.
Anuran Chatterjee, Ph.D.
Steven Stowers, Ph.D.
Laura Higgins, Ph.D.
Esther Ruiz, Ph.D.
Alena Shmygelska, Ph.D.
B.S. level students
Sofia Massaro Tieze (Contractor), Ivy Fernandes, Zachary Gomez, Nhung (Mindy) Tran, Brooke Shepard, Kaixin Cui, Stephanie Gee, Iman Hamid, Brian Smith, Ankita Chatterjee, Anastasia Vavilina, Maximilien Baas-Thomas, Victor Quach, Bruno Gegenhuber, Tristan Bodmer, Sarah Rood, Caleb Canas, Curran Reddy, Judy Wan, Brianna Hagen, Erin Weisenhorn, Stephanie Ku, Ivan Lucatero, Inez Hernandez, Eduardo Flores, Elizabeth Coffee, Elyse Rankin-Gee, Kimberly Chan, Husein Badani, Christian Mandrycky, Anusha Prabhakar, Travis Schuh, Laura Chen, Joseph Flugemann, June Sunga, Daphne Fong, Jennifer Chang, Daya Raman, Rebecca Waters, Lisa Adams, Rachel Beck, Christina Allen, Angela Wang, Aadrita Mukherji, Max Sanchez, George Chin, Maryam Shenasa, Edina Blazevic-Levic, Arzo Razaq, Ameet Matharu, Gerard Sims and Kia Smith, Min Choi, Jessamyn O’Connell
M.Sc./Ph.D. students
H.J. Van Loo, Omer Inan, Franz-Moritz Pohl, Shilpa R. Bhardwaj, William Wade, Danika Kusuma, Florian Selch, Matthew Lera, Chetan Angadi, Siddharth Pandey, Jarrett Weinrich