From Microgravity to Microbiomes: The Interstellar Journey With The Scientist Fathi Karouia

Hello and Welcome to the Microbiome Maverick Podcast, the only place where microbiome science meets real-world applications. I am your host Dr. Amine Zorgani, a microbiome expert on a mission to prevent the human microbiome from extinction! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Fathi Karouia, Senior Research Scientist @NASA | Space Life Science Subject Matter Expert | Consultant | Entrepreneur and a Speaker whose work combines two of the most intriguing subjects on our planet: space and microbiomes. Fathi shares his insights into the complex interactions between microbes and the harsh environment of space, and how this research not only contributes to our understanding of space exploration but also has practical applications here on Earth. Fathi's team discovered that bacteria grow faster, are more resistant to stress and antibiotics, and tend to form biofilms in microgravity conditions. Remarkably, a strain of Bacillus pumilus was found to be 1000 times more resistant to UV radiation than other strains, even surviving exposure outside the International Space Station for 18 months. Wow! Just that! Enjoy the episode, and please follow and share! Happy to hear your thoughts and stay positive! You can find more about Fathi Karouia here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fathikarouia/ You can find more about The Microbiome Mavericks here: ⁠⁠www.microbiomemavericks.com⁠⁠ If you are interested in speaking, partnering, or sponsoring the show you can reach out directly to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠