The symposium took place on October 22, 2025 at Felix Frey Auditorium, sitem-insel. Jointly organized by the CSH and the Center for Rehabiliation and Sports Medicine, Inselspital, this event brought together speakers from Japan, Australia and Bern.
After a welcome address by University of Bern rector Virginia Richter, CSH director Brice-Olivier Demory, and medical director of the Rehab & Sports Medicine Center Matthias Wilhelm, our speakers presented their current work to a room full of captivated listeners, engaged in fascinating discussions and answered audience questions.
In a first round of presentations, our guest speakers showcased the way space science and medicine come together on an international scale: Jessica Studer, Medical Expert at MEDES - Institute for Space Physiology and Medicine, talked about her time with the European Space Agency ESA in Antarctica. Yutaka Kimura, professor at Kansai Medical University, Japan, presented his research on KAATSU (Blood Flow Restriction) Training. Finally, Kate Kitagawa spoke on the link of space education to the future of healthcare, her work at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, and her work's connection to the Japanese Space Agency JAXA.
A second round of presentations brought the intersection of space science and medicine back to Bern: CSH's Lisa Brandenburg and Brice-Olivier Demory presented their work on the SenseLife project, research dedicated to the search for life in the universe through spectropolarimetry and its connection to the detection of cancer in humans. Dominik Obrist, professor and group head of the Cardiovascular Engineering group at the ARTORG Center, University of Bern, expanded on his previous work on the vestibular system and the effect of microgravity. Lastly, Matthias Wilhelm discussed the relationship of space health and healthy ageing.
As part of his contribution to the symposium, Yutaka Kimura and a delegetion from the Kansai Medical University also toured sitem-insel and visited the CSH engineering workshop.
Check our gallery below for a glimpse into the symposium highlights.
