Lisa Carnell

Biography
Dr. Lisa Carnell is responsible for providing strategic direction for the BPS Division and overseeing the planning and execution of its two-pronged mission of pioneering scientific discovery and enabling human spaceflight exploration. She leads NASA’s efforts using spaceflight environments to study biological and physical systems, connecting exploration science with medical applications on Earth. Her work spans stem-cell biology, organ-on-a-chip research, space agriculture, the behaviors of fires and fluids in space, and strategies to protect astronauts from the effects of space stressors (such as radiation and microgravity). Previously, she served as NASA's Program Scientist for Translational Research, building partnerships with federal agencies and commercial partners, and as the Space Radiation Medical Countermeasure Lead, advancing astronaut health for deep space exploration. Dr. Carnell earned her Ph.D. from Duke University, researching the effect of physiological and electrical signals on the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. She holds eight patents and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications.

---

Talk
AVATAR: Organ Chips for Precision Medicine
NASA BPS’ AVATAR uses astronaut-derived bone-marrow organ chips to study spaceflight effects. This highlight presentation will share available findings, including comparisons of pre- and post-flight blood cells, and explore implications for astronaut health and precision medicine on Earth.