Dr. Who? Physician takes medicine to the final frontier

A family physician and public health expert, Dr. Farhan Asrar is a lecturer and clinical teacher at the University of Toronto who applies his skills on an intergalactic scale: Asrar is a space doctor.

In 2010, while a medical resident at McMaster University, Asrar won a coveted scholarship to attend the International Space University. The private, not-for-profit institute brings together leaders in the space community for graduate-level research in disciplines including space medicine and life sciences, engineering, physical sciences, law and policy, and business. Based in Strasbourg, France, the ISU is funded by agencies like NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.

For Asrar, working with the ISU is a dream come true. “Everyone wants to become an astronaut,” he says, adding that he has been fascinated with space since his teen years when he held a piece of moon rock gathered on the final Apollo mission in 1972. He was excited to apply his experience as a physician and public health expert to the conundrums posed by human space exploration.

“I had a blast,” Asrar says of the experience. “It really helped expand my knowledge and experience within space health.” The nine-week program was just the start of his work with the ISU. Asrar was named emerging chair of the department of space life sciences in 2011. He was appointed as ISU chair in health and space in 2014 and is a member of the program’s teaching faculty.

This summer, Asrar led a 30-member team to create recommendations and policies on public health and space travel. The diverse group, which included university deans, astronauts and space program directors, investigated issues related to space exploration through the prism of public health.

As private space tourism comes closer to reality, Asrar’s team is pondering whether the general public could withstand the stresses of a trip to the stars. “Astronauts are in peak physical condition,” Asrar says. “But we know that bones deteriorate – a month in space is equal to two years of bone loss on Earth. How do our bodies adapt and function in microgravity and space environments? Should there be restrictions on who goes to space?

“We also look at contamination issues,” he says. “For instance, salmonella becomes seven times more virulent in space. What happens if this bacteria is transferred to another planet, or if space-borne bacteria is brought back to Earth? Are there public health precautions and procedures in place to ensure safety?”

The ISU team is also looking for ways to apply advances in space technology to public health issues closer to home. 

“We don’t realize how much space plays a significant role in our lives. From medical technologies to weather forecasts and thermal gloves – all of those things came from technology developed for space.”

Asrar and the ISU team will present their recommendations at the upcoming International Astronautical Congress. This year’s conference takes place in Toronto from September 29 to October 3. The world’s largest space congress, it brings together 3,000 delegates to learn about the academic, industry and governmental developments in space exploration.