Principal Investigator Sheyna Gifford (MD, MPH, MBA, MA, MSc) is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Medicine, Occupational, and Preventive Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Dr. Gifford has been an aerospace researcher since 1997. She is a simulated astronaut with 380 spent in analog space, including a continuous 366-day Mars simulation. In addition to aerospace and occupational medicine, Dr. Gifford is a board-certified rehabilitation physician, former Air Force physician, and a Flight surgeon for AstroAccess. She and the DUXS research team (Michael Cairnie, Michael Pohlen, David Lerner, Jeanne Walter) took the first digital human X-Rays in microgravity (Pohlen et al, 2022).

Dr. Michael Pohlen is a practicing board-certified radiologist and Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Diego in the Cardiothoracic Imaging Division. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geosciences from Texas A&M University. He earned his medical degree with High Honor at Baylor College of Medicine, where he completed the Space Medicine Pathway and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed a residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Stanford University before continuing for completion of a dual fellowship. He has authored more than 30 research publications and presentations, with work focusing on artificial intelligence applications in thoracic imaging and the adaptation of imaging modalities for human spaceflight. He has clerked at NASA Johnson Space Center and is a member of the Society of Thoracic Radiology, the American College of Radiology, and The Radiological Society of North America. 

Co-Investigator: Prof. Lonnie G Petersen MD, PhD is the Samuel-A-Goldblith Professor of Applied Biology and Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT as well as a Core Faculty member of IMES, Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard-MIT. Dr. Petersen leads the Aerospace Physiology Lab at MIT and conducts research relating to human health and performance during spaceflight and aviation with a focus on technology development.

Co-Investigator: David J. Lerner M.D. is a practicing Diagnostic Radiologist and Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association. He has been investigating applications of radiology and interventional radiology for spaceflight for over 15 years, particularly pioneering x-ray imaging and radiologically guided surgical procedures for Exploration Class missions. He has given many lectures to NASA and the Aerospace Medical community over the years as well as serving in an advisory capacity to various groups including the Exploration Medical Capability team at NASA. He completed his fellowship at the prestigious Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology from Washington University in St. Louis, and completed his Diagnostic Radiology residency program at the University of Missouri Kansas-City, his initial medical training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, and his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University. He has been an Assistant Professor for the University of Missouri Kansas-City and the University of Washington Departments of Radiology.

Adam Wang, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Radiology and, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. His research group develops technologies for advanced x-ray and CT imaging, including novel system and detector designs; spectral imaging with photon counting detectors and dual-layer flat-panel detectors; artificial intelligence for acquisition, reconstruction, and image processing; and their applications in diagnostic imaging and image-guided procedures.

Anna Wadhwa is an MD-PhD student at Harvard Medical School and MIT AeroAstro with a focus on Humans in Aerospace. She received her BS in Biochemistry from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2021, summa cum laude. Her prior research experience include immune health, fatigue countermeasures, and satellite algorithm development at various NASA centers, and artificial gravity for bone health with the NASA/JAXA MHU-8 mission. Her current research interests include understanding physiological risks and expanding diagnostic capabilities for astronaut health in microgravity and lunar/Martian partial gravity environments.

Jeanne Walter is the Vice President of Marketing & Sales at MinXray, Inc., a role she has held since April 2020. With over 16 years of experience at MinXray, she has led the development and execution of strategic marketing and sales initiatives, product development, overseeing brand management and budget forecasting. Prior to this, Jeanne held various roles at MinXray, including Director of Marketing & Sales and Veterinary Products Manager. With a background in veterinary technology and research, Jeanne also brings extensive experience from roles in pharmaceutical research and veterinary practice, alongside certification as a veterinary technician.

Michael Cairnie is an experienced healthcare professional with extensive expertise in diagnostic radiography, computed tomography, ultrasound, radiography quality assurance, and PACS. He currently serves as the Director of Global and Military Sales at MinXray, Inc., a role he has held since 2017. Previously, he held senior positions in applications and service at MinXray, and led imaging services at Cross Creek Medical Services. Michael's career began in the US Army, where he served as a radiographer. He holds a BS in Healthcare Informatics from Southern New Hampshire University and certifications in radiologic technology and diagnostic medical sonography.

Amol is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in the medical device industry, specializing in medical imaging. With a background spanning both start-ups and large OEMs such as Ultrasonix, Sentinelle Medical, Ventripoint, and GE Healthcare, Amol brings a wealth of knowledge to innovative projects like SpaceXray. Holding a Bachelor’s in Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from McGill, Amol has spent over 20 years in the field, leading multidisciplinary teams across sales, engineering, and operations. 

Karim has developed novel X-ray imaging devices and systems since 1998. He has supported two start-ups (Ignis Innovation and Ultrascan) and founded two companies (ActivPixel and KA Imaging) in the past two decades. He has raised more than $15M in research grant funding, trained over 40 PhD and MASc students, has co-authored 250+ publications and 50+ patents. Some of the X-ray circuit technology he developed is now used in ultrasonic fingerprint sensors in mobile phones and tablets. 

Steven Tilley leads the spectral research at KA Imaging. He has been in the field of medical imaging since 2013 researching algorithms for computed tomography reconstruction and spectral data processing. His current work focuses on utilizing the data from KA Imaging’s unique triple layer detector for quantitative health metrics and qualitative image quality improvements. He has a Bachelors in Biological Engineering from Cornell University and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Nelly is completing her Master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Also, a part time employee at KA Imaging, her work leverages KA Imaging's unique triple-layer detector to enable simultaneous bone health assessment in a single X-ray scan. Nelly holds an Honours degree in Physics with Minors in Computer Science and Mathematics from Mount Allison University. She also has experience with X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. 

Engineering and Product Manager at KA Imaging.  With a degree in Engineering Physics from McMaster University and 15 years of experience in development and engineering in the digital Imaging sector he contributes his leadership to the product development teams.  Managing the creation and support of new and existing products, their requirements, schedules, and applications, he helps transform KAI's unique technology into competitive, state of the art products. 

Fernanda Fraga is an experienced marketing and communications professional with a strong background in media and corporate storytelling. With over 15 years of experience, she specializes in translating complex scientific and technological advancements into compelling, accessible narratives. She has graduate-level specializations in Communications, History, and International Relations, along with a BA in Journalism. Her expertise spans both creative and technical domains, shaped by six years as an Editor, Anchor, Reporter, and Producer at a major TV network, followed by corporate communications roles across various industries. Fernanda has a proven track record of crafting strategic, multi-platform messages that elevate brand visibility and engagement.