Mary Anne Bassett Frey (December 15, 1934 – September 13, 2019) was chief scientist for the
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
Neurolab
Spacelab
Spacelab was a reusable laboratory developed by European Space Agency (ESA) and used on certain spaceflights flown by the Space Shuttle. The laboratory comprised multiple components, including a pressurized module, an unpressurized carrier, ...
module mission (
STS-90
STS-90 was a 1998 Space Shuttle mission flown by the Space Shuttle ''Columbia''. The 16-day mission marked the last flight of the European Space Agency's Spacelab laboratory module, which had first flown on ''Columbia'' on STS-9, and was also th ...
). She researched the impact of gravity on astronauts.
Early life and education
Frey attended
Montgomery College
Montgomery College (MC) is a Public college, public community college in Montgomery County, Maryland. Founded officially in 1946 as Montgomery Junior College, its name comes from the county in which it is located. The earliest start date that c ...
, graduating in 1967. Frey completed a bachelor's degree in physics at
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
.
She earned a PhD at
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
in physiology in 1975.
Whilst completing her doctoral studies Frey worked as a lecturer in the Department of Physiology at the
and
Montgomery College
Montgomery College (MC) is a Public college, public community college in Montgomery County, Maryland. Founded officially in 1946 as Montgomery Junior College, its name comes from the county in which it is located. The earliest start date that c ...
.
Research
![Sts-90-patch](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Sts-90-patch.svg)
Frey was appointed Assistant Professor at the
Boonshoft School of Medicine
The Boonshoft School of Medicine (formerly known as Wright State University School of Medicine) is the medical school at Wright State University. It is located in Dayton, Ohio, and serves the Miami Valley region of southwestern Ohio.
Instead of ...
in 1976. She developed the physiology curriculum. She studied the impact of exercise on high-density
lipoprotein
A lipoprotein is a biochemical assembly whose primary function is to transport hydrophobic lipid (also known as fat) molecules in water, as in blood plasma or other extracellular fluids. They consist of a triglyceride and cholesterol center, sur ...
in women, identifying that there were not changes during ten weeks of training. She also worked on the cardiovascular response to mental stress. In 1986 she was appointed technical manager of The Bionetics Corporation at
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC, originally known as the NASA Launch Operations Center), located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ten field centers. Since December 1968 ...
. She served as a
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
visiting scientist with the
Universities Space Research Association
The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) was incorporated on March 12, 1969, in Washington, D.C. as a private, nonprofit corporation under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
Institutional membership in the assoc ...
between 1987 and 1990. Frey was made professor in the ''Aerospace Medicine Residency Program''. The 1990s were designated the
Decade of the Brain
The Decade of the Brain was a designation for 1990–1999 by U.S. president George H. W. Bush as part of a larger effort involving the Library of Congress and the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health "to enhanc ...
, and
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
decided that it was important to understand the nervous system in space. She identified that the health symptoms astronauts experience in space are similar to ageing, but occur more rapidly and appear to be reversible. She studied the impact of lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) on men and identified that neither aerobic or strength fitness impacted responses to LBNP stress. Neurolab included measurements from sympathetic nerves before and after spaceflight, as well as monitoring the
central nervous system
The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all par ...
in rats during spaceflight. She identified the correct dose of saline astronauts could take to countermeasure postflight orthostatic intolerance.
In 1993 Frey won the
Aerospace Medical Association
The Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) is the largest professional organization in the fields of aviation, space, and environmental medicine. The AsMA membership includes aerospace and hyperbaric medical specialists, scientists, flight nurses, p ...
Louis H. Bauer Founders Award. She was assigned to the
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
Life Sciences Division in 1994 and studied the impact of space on the nervous system. Frey identified the cardiovascular and physiological responses of astronauts.
She created a series of educational activities with
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
and the
Morehouse School of Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine is a private co-educational medical school in Atlanta, Georgia. Originally a part of Morehouse College, the school became independent in 1981. The school abbreviates its name with its initials "MSM."
History
Esta ...
. She studied the impact of aging on the cardiovascular response to postural change. In 1995 Frey won the
Hubertus Strughold
Hubertus Strughold (June 15, 1898 – September 25, 1986) was a German-born physiologist and prominent medical researcher. Beginning in 1935 he served as chief of aeromedical research for Hermann Göring's Ministry of Aviation, holding this posi ...
Award of the Space Medicine Association for her "significant contributions to space medicine".
STS-90
STS-90 was a 1998 Space Shuttle mission flown by the Space Shuttle ''Columbia''. The 16-day mission marked the last flight of the European Space Agency's Spacelab laboratory module, which had first flown on ''Columbia'' on STS-9, and was also th ...
launched on April 16, 1998. Frey served on the board of editors of the
Aerospace Medical Association
The Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) is the largest professional organization in the fields of aviation, space, and environmental medicine. The AsMA membership includes aerospace and hyperbaric medical specialists, scientists, flight nurses, p ...
journal.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frey, Mary Anne
1945 births
2019 deaths
American physiologists
Women physiologists
NASA people
Montgomery College alumni
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences alumni
Wright State University faculty
20th-century American scientists
20th-century American women scientists
21st-century American scientists
21st-century American women scientists