
Role : Crew Pharmacist
Studies : Pharmacy
Martin Roumain recently graduated in pharmaceutical sciences at the Université catholique de Louvain. During his studies, he decided to work in a research group (Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids research group) as a research student. His work consisted in analyzing biological samples such as cell cultures, blood, plasma or tissues, using a mass spectrometer. This formation taught him scientific rigor, communication skills and the ability to work in a team. He now works in the same group as a PhD student and teaching assistant. As a pharmacist, he has strong scientific knowledge, particularly in medical sciences, chemistry and biology. His multidisciplinary training makes him a good addition to the crew.

Study of drug degradation at Mars Desert Research Station
Medications degrade over time. Degradation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) can result in reduced drug potency and increased toxicity due to the formation of degradation products. This degradation is accelerated by suboptimal storage conditions, as well as by some environmental factors of a Mars expedition such as microgravity, temperature variations and radiations, which may […]

Impact of a Martian lifestyle on memory and reflexes
On Mars, several factors may have consequences on our organism such as the confinement, the change of scenery and the energy consumption spikes due to additional activity. These factors can induce fatigue and lead to decreased attention and memory performance, and increased reaction time. Being 225 million kilometers away from Earth, the crew will be […]