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Distinguished Colleagues

The Symposium "Problems of space microbiology" and annual workshop on the problem dedicated to one of the main factors which accompany humans in spaceflights

Microorganisms - bacteria and fungi - form inalienable part of biocenosis in confined habitat of space vehicle. And not only microbiologists, immunologists and allergologists must take this circumstance under consideration, but also designers of spacecrafts, which interior and equipment are subjected to aggressive activity of microbes and their life products. This declares necessity to perform profound fundamental investigations of microbial life in condition of spaceflights and interaction of microbial community with human organism. The results of these investigations allow to elaborate effective protection of humans and space apparatus from infectious diseases and spacecraft infrastructure - from microbe-mediated damages.

This is mostly important while long-term spaceflight missions, and, particularly, during interplanetary flights.

Unique role of microbes in Earth biosphere and their tolerance to activity of extreme factors allow to suppose in the past, or even nowadays the life on Mars and other Solar system planets. This means that microbiologists should pay proper attention to the problems of exobiology and planetary quarantine.

So it is much to discuss on the Symposium and Workshop.

I wish you successful work and interesting and fruitful discussions.

Academician-Secretary of Department of Biological Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
A.I. Grigoriev