CU Students Help Develop Solution To International Space Station Fungus Problem

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - A cargo rocket blasted off from Virginia Saturday morning headed to the International Space Station. It was loaded with supplies and important science experiments including one from researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU).

The International Space Station has a problem with fungus and mold. Students from CU are part of a world-wide team helping to find solution.

"We are trying to understand how biofilms grow differently in the microgravity of space compared to earth," said Dr. Luis Zea via a Skype interview.

"The experiment is called space biofilms, and we're growing two different things -- bacterial biofilm, the stuff that grows in people's bathroom, not mine," he said laughing. "But this is the kind of thing you have to scrub really hard to get off."

The other is to test fungus molds which also hitch a ride to the space station on astronauts.

"Both of these things have occurred on previous space stations as well as the current International Space Station so it is a problem for multiple components that are critical to maintaining the astronauts alive and healthy," he said.

Along with growing biofilms, they will be testing antimicrobial material which could be manufactured to keep the biofilm from being able to stick to the surface in the first place. That has a simple, real-word application.

"Biofilm formation on catheters is a very common problem in hospitals, and one of the reasons for which so many people get urinary tract infections on earth."

A new, sterile material, protecting us from microbial forces wherever humans venture.