Affiliation: University of Toronto

Dr Fournier received her PhD in 2020 from the University of Toronto, working with a nationally recognized expert in cell biology research in space, Dr Rene E. Harrison. Her doctoral work involved studying the effects of microgravity on osteocyte morphology and gene expression and was funded by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to support their human spaceflight program under a Flights and Fieldwork for the Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST) grant. As a result, a new method utilizing a commercially available rotating wall vessel (RWV) was developed, which allows researchers to embed cells in a 3D matrix scaffolding prior to microgravity simulation. The method was recently validated with an osteocyte cell line and replaces the current practice of cell suspension in the RWV on microcarriers because of its potential ability to protect cells from surrounding fluid shear stresses.