Cheryl A. Nickerson

Dr. Cheryl A. Nickerson is a Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. She is internationally recognized as a pioneer in using the microgravity environment of spaceflight as a unique biomedical research platform to study the effects of physical forces (gravity, fluid flow) on microbial and human cells, how this response is related to normal cellular function or infectious disease progression, and its translation to biomedical and clinical applications. Her multidisciplinary and innovative research approach blends microbiology, tissue engineering, and physics to mimic the dynamic interactions between the host, the pathogen, and the environment that lead to infection and disease. Her landmark discoveries during eight spaceflight experiments aboard the NASA Space Shuttle, SpaceX, and the International Space Station (ISS) have laid the foundation for use of the microgravity research platform for modern microbiological research in space and commercial spaceflight vaccine development initiatives.