here are the effects of microgravity, exposure to space radiation and mental health struggles that come with long-duration missions, to name a few. And as humans prepare to venture deeper into space — with potential trips to the moon, Mars and beyond — there is still much to learn about the health implications for the astronauts on these voyages.

That’s why to Dr. Jeffery Chancellor, advancing human health and performance in space is the next frontier of the aerospace field. Chancellor, a physicist and space radiation expert who has worked on more than 10 NASA-funded flight studies, expects the discipline of aerospace medicine to grow exponentially over the next five to 10 years — making Texas A&M University a key player in setting the standard for space health education and research through the aerospace medicine program in the College of Medicine.

Chancellor, along with his wife, Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor — a physician with 15 years of experience as an astronaut — joined Texas A&M in September as an associate professor in the College of Medicine. He was recently named director of the program, which was created in 2023 to look at the risks considered the most critical to spaceflight and develop countermeasures that contribute to safer space exploration.

“As a space-grant university that has made significant contributions to NASA-led research, Texas A&M is uniquely positioned to lead the future of aerospace medicine,” said Dr. Amy Waer, dean of the College of Medicine. “We are pioneering research and training programs that are critical to ensuring the health of astronauts while connecting with industry and national and global leadership across the aerospace domain.”