Jeanne Becker, Ph.D. is Associate Director of the John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science, a partner organization to the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. She is also Chief Science Officer for Astrogenetix, Incorporated. Dr. Becker holds faculty appointments in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Surgery, at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Becker is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Women’s Health Research Coalition, a Washington DC-based network of leaders in academic medical, health and scientific institutions, and currently serves as Chair of the Coalition. She serves on the Board of Directors of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology, is a Science Advisor to the Pete Conrad Foundation, and is a recipient of NASA Space Life Sciences Directorate Professional Achievement Award.

 

Dr. Becker’s research has focused on the development of three dimensional models of human breast and ovarian cancer, using the Rotating Wall Vessel (developed by NASA). The three dimensional cellular constructs of breast and ovarian cancer developed in these models reproduce many aspects of cancer, by creating tissue like architecture that exhibits rapid onset drug resistance as occurs in human disease. This work was selected as part of the suite of the first cell culture studies performed aboard the International Space Station (ISS), on Increment 3. In addition, she has developed a novel cell culture paradigm based upon diamagnetically stabilized magnet levitation, with two patents filed on this technology. Currently, Dr. Becker is part of the research team using the conditions of microgravity to uncover novel targets for the development of bacterial vaccines and therapeutics. NASA has designated this work as a national priority, representing International Space Station National Laboratory – Vaccine Payloads. The missions are designed to validate the use of space for new biomedical discovery, and to demonstrate the value and importance of ISS as a research platform. Dr. Becker has had the opportunity to testify on several occasions before the United States Congress on her work and on the space program’s contributions to medical research.