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DLR
DLR (German Aerospace Center) is Germany's national research centre for aeronautics and space. Its extensive research and development work is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. As Germany's Space Agency, the German federal government has given DLR responsibility for the forward planning and implementation of the German space programme as well as international representation of Germany's interests. Approximately 5,100 people work for DLR. The centre has 28 institutes and facilities at eight locations in Germany. DLR is organised as a chartered non-profit organisation. The Radiation Biology Division of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at DLR deals with astrobiology, planetary protection, radiation dosimetry and biosensorics. Interdisciplinay projects with international partners concerning research on the viability of microorganisms in and adaptability to space as well as to simulated Martian conditions are accomplished in the research group ‘Astrobiology’ (group leader: Dr. P. Rettberg). The main focus of the astrobiological work with regard to the planet Mars is the modelling and measurement of the UV and ionising radiation climate and biological tests under simulated Martian conditions. Special interests of this research group are the molecular and cellular mechanisms for adaptation to extreme environmental conditions and the capability to repair different kinds of damage enzymatically, which are investigated in laboratory and space experiments with several microbial model organisms. The Radiation Biology Division has expertise in the application of molecular techniques for the characterisation of microbial response to single and combined space parameters.
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Dr. rer. nat. Petra Rettberg, Diploma in Chemistry 1983, Dissertation in Molecular Biology 1988, has formal training in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Photochemistry, Molecular Biology, Radiation and Photobiology. From 1998 to 1992 she performed basic research in radiation biology and radiation chemistry as group leader at the Max-Planck-Institute for Radiation Chemistry. Since 1993 she has been active in life sciences in space research at the German Aerospace Center in Köln, as Co-Investigator of several biological space experiments (RD-UVRAD, D-2, 1993; REPAIR and KINETICS, IML-2, 1994; UVE, MIR’97; SURVIVAL II, BIOPAN II, 1997; EXOBIOLOGIE, PERSEUS, 1999; PROTECT, 2007 on the ISS; SPORES, 2008 on the ISS;) and Principal Investigator (MARSTOX, FOTON M-2, 2005; Marstox II, FOTON M-3, 2007; ADAPT, 2007 on the ISS; TRIPLE-LUX, 2008 on the ISS). Her main scientific interests concentrate on basic and applied research in astrobiology, planetary protection and the development of biosensors for genotoxic agents such as radiation or chemical carcinogens. As leader of the research group ‘Astrobiology’ she is responsible for the project management of international and interdisciplinary research projects and the training of young scientists. She is also the elected German representative of EANA, the European Astrobiology Network Association.