Michigan researcher replaces Doty who retires after successful tenure

HOUSTON – (Dec. 6, 2012) – The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) has named Dr. Ralph Lydic as chair of its External Advisory Council (EAC). The University of Michigan professor is the successor to Dr. Stephen Doty, who retired after serving as chair for five years.

The NSBRI, funded by NASA, is a consortium of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight. The Institute’s EAC is comprised of leaders in research fields central to its mission and advises management on strategic issues and programmatic effectiveness.

“Dr. Doty provided outstanding leadership as chair of the External Advisory Council during a time when the Institute enhanced its core capabilities and underwent a successful program review by NASA,” said Dr. Jeffrey P. Sutton, NSBRI president and CEO. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Lydic as the new chair. He is one of the top anesthesiology researchers in the world, and he will provide valuable guidance to NSBRI as it seeks to protect astronaut health and improve life on Earth.”

Lydic is the Bert La Du Professor of Anesthesiology at Michigan and the recipient of the 2012 Excellence in Research Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists. His research has been funded continuously since 1988 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Lydic also serves as chair of the Sleep and Circadian Rhythms External Advisory Panel for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health. He has been a member of NSBRI’s EAC since 2005.

“NSBRI has made an excellent choice with the selection of Dr. Lydic,” Doty said. “His scientific background and leadership will be beneficial to NSBRI and the entire space biomedical research community.”

Doty is the senior scientist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, where he is also the director of the Analytical Microscopy Laboratory. During his time as EAC chair, NASA extended its cooperative agreement with NSBRI, the Institute enhanced its research portfolio, and NSBRI opened its state-of-the-art 16,400-square-foot Consolidated Research Facility.

NSBRI’s science, technology and education projects take place at more than 60 institutions across the United States. NSBRI projects address space health concerns, which include bone and muscle loss, cardiovascular alterations, radiation exposure, neurobehavioral and psychosocial factors, remote medical care, and habitability and performance issues. Research findings also impact the understanding and treatment of similar medical conditions experienced on Earth.

Brad Thomas
NSBRI
713-798-7595
rbthomas@bcm.edu