Mary Anne Bassett Frey (December 15, 1934 – September 13, 2019)[1] was chief scientist for the NASA Neurolab Spacelab module mission (STS-90). She researched the impact of gravity on astronauts.

Mary Anne Frey
Born
Mary Anne Bassett

(1934-12-15)December 15, 1934
DiedSeptember 13, 2019(2019-09-13) (aged 84)
Alma materGeorge Washington University
Scientific career
InstitutionsBoonshoft School of Medicine
Wright State University

Early life and education

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Frey attended Montgomery College, graduating in 1967.[2] Frey completed a bachelor's degree in physics at George Washington University.[3][4] She earned a PhD at George Washington in physiology in 1975.[3] Whilst completing her doctoral studies Frey worked as a lecturer in the Department of Physiology at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences and Montgomery College.[3]

Research

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STS-90 Neurolab mission patch

Frey was appointed Assistant Professor at the Boonshoft School of Medicine in 1976. She developed the physiology curriculum.[5] She studied the impact of exercise on high-density lipoprotein in women, identifying that there were not changes during ten weeks of training.[6] She also worked on the cardiovascular response to mental stress.[7] In 1986 she was appointed technical manager of The Bionetics Corporation at Kennedy Space Center. She served as a NASA visiting scientist with the Universities Space Research Association between 1987 and 1990. Frey was made professor in the Aerospace Medicine Residency Program. The 1990s were designated the Decade of the Brain, and NASA decided that it was important to understand the nervous system in space.[8] She identified that the health symptoms astronauts experience in space are similar to ageing, but occur more rapidly and appear to be reversible.[9] She studied the impact of lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) on men and identified that neither aerobic or strength fitness impacted responses to LBNP stress.[10][11] Neurolab included measurements from sympathetic nerves before and after spaceflight, as well as monitoring the central nervous system in rats during spaceflight.[12] She identified the correct dose of saline astronauts could take to countermeasure postflight orthostatic intolerance.[13]

In 1993 Frey won the Aerospace Medical Association Louis H. Bauer Founders Award.[14] She was assigned to the NASA Life Sciences Division in 1994 and studied the impact of space on the nervous system.[15][16] Frey identified the cardiovascular and physiological responses of astronauts.[3] She created a series of educational activities with NASA and the Morehouse School of Medicine.[17] She studied the impact of aging on the cardiovascular response to postural change.[18] In 1995 Frey won the Hubertus Strughold Award of the Space Medicine Association for her "significant contributions to space medicine".[3] STS-90 launched on April 16, 1998.[19] Frey served on the board of editors of the Aerospace Medical Association journal.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Mary Anne Frey, 84, Professor of Aerospace Medicine
  2. ^ "Insights" (PDF). Montgomery College. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Awards of the Space Medicine Branch" (PDF). Space Medicine Association. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  4. ^ "GW Arts & Sciences Fall/Winter 2014". Issuu. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  5. ^ "LEARNING THE CARDIAC CYCLE: SIMULTANEOUS OBSERVATIONS OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL EVENTS" (PDF). Wright State University. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  6. ^ Frey, Mary Anne Bassett; Doerr, Barbara M.; Laubach, Lloyd L.; Mann, Barbara L.; Glueck, Charles J. (November 1982). "Exercise does not change high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women after ten weeks of training". Metabolism. 31 (11): 1142–1146. doi:10.1016/0026-0495(82)90165-2. ISSN 0026-0495. PMID 7132740.
  7. ^ FREY, Mary Anne Bassett; SIERVOGEL, R.M. (1983). "Cardiovascular response to a mentally stressful stimulus". Japanese Heart Journal. 24 (3): 315–323. doi:10.1536/ihj.24.315. ISSN 0021-4868. PMID 6876379.
  8. ^ "Neurolab and The Brain in Space" (PDF). NASA.
  9. ^ Wright State University School of Medicine. "Vital Signs" (PDF). Wright State University. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  10. ^ "Aerospace Medicine and Biology" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  11. ^ "Responses to LBNP in Men with Varying Profiles of Strength and Aerobic Capacity: Implications for Flight Crews" (PDF). NASA. 1993. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  12. ^ Frey, Mary. "Neurolab Spacelab Mission" (PDF). Indiana State. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  13. ^ Frey, Mary Anne B.; Riddle, Jeanne; Charles, John B.; Bungo, Michael W. (October 1991). "Blood and Urine Responses to Ingesting Fluids of Various Salt and Glucose Concentrations". The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 31 (10): 880–887. doi:10.1002/j.1552-4604.1991.tb03643.x. ISSN 0091-2700. PMID 1761715. S2CID 24079744.
  14. ^ "AsMA ANNUAL AWARDS" (PDF). ASMA. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  15. ^ "Space Shuttle Lab Tests Effects of Gravity (and Lack of It) on Brain, Nervous System". NBC Learn. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  16. ^ "Winter 2003 Wright State University Libraries Access Newsletter Winter Quarter 2003". Wright. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  17. ^ "A Teacher's Guide With Activities for Neuroscience" (PDF). NSBRI. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  18. ^ Frey, Mary Anne Bassett; Tomaselli, Clare Marie; Hoffler, Wyckliffe G. (May 1994). "Cardiovascular Responses to Postural Changes: Differences with Age for Women and Men". The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 34 (5): 394–402. doi:10.1002/j.1552-4604.1994.tb04979.x. ISSN 0091-2700. PMID 8089251. S2CID 46305106.
  19. ^ "NASA - Neurolab Shuttle Mission to Launch April 16". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  20. ^ "Editorial Board" (PDF). ASMA. Retrieved August 29, 2018.