Meet AstroMyco

AstroMyco LLC was founded by Dr. Robert P. Volpe, a molecular and cell biologist who earned his PhD from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and currently serves as a research affiliate at Georgetown University. His doctoral research investigated microbial radiation resistance and radioprotection, including the use of radiation-resistant fungi and microbial-derived compounds to identify novel strategies for protecting biological systems from ionizing radiation.

His current research explores fungi and other beneficial microorganisms as platforms for advancing biological solutions for sustainable space exploration and habitation. Through AstroMyco, Dr. Volpe works at the intersection of mycology, radiation biology, biotechnology, and astrobiology to translate fundamental biological discoveries into practical technologies that support human activity in space and other extreme environments.

His current research explores fungi and other beneficial microorganisms as platforms for advancing biological solutions for sustainable space exploration and habitation. Through AstroMyco, Dr. Volpe works at the intersection of mycology, radiation biology, biotechnology, and astrobiology to translate fundamental biological discoveries into practical technologies that support human activity in space and other extreme environments.

Select publications:

Volpe, R. P., Hwang, H. J., & Cox, R. T. (2025). Feeding Drosophila highly radioresistant fungi improves survival and gut morphology following acute gamma radiation exposure. Scientific Reports, 16(1), 1855. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-31545-6

Mitra, N., McQueen, T. M., Volpe, R., Daly, M., Desai, V., & Armitage, N. P. (2025). Chemical changes in terrestrial lunar simulants exposed to gamma radiation simulating lunar ionizing radiation environment. Planetary and Space Science, 255, 106031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2024.106031

Horne, W. H., Volpe, R. P., Korza, G., DePratti, S., Conze, I. H., Shuryak, I., Grebenc, T., Matrosova, V. Y., Gaidamakova, E. K., Tkavc, R., Sharma, A., Gostinčar, C., Gunde-Cimerman, N., Hoffman, B. M., Setlow, P., & Daly, M. J. (2022). Effects of Desiccation and Freezing on Microbial Ionizing Radiation Survivability: Considerations for Mars Sample Return. Astrobiology, 22(11), 1337–1350. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2022.0065

Shuryak, I., Tkavc, R., Matrosova, V. Y., Volpe, R. P., Grichenko, O., Klimenkova, P., Conze, I. H., Balygina, I. A., Gaidamakova, E. K., & Daly, M. J. (2019). Chronic gamma radiation resistance in fungi correlates with resistance to chromium and elevated temperatures, but not with resistance to acute irradiation. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 11361. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-47007-9

Sharma, A., Gaidamakova, E. K., Grichenko, O., Matrosova, V. Y., Hoeke, V., Klimenkova, P., Conze, I. H., Volpe, R. P., Tkavc, R., Gostinčar, C., Gunde-Cimerman, N., DiRuggiero, J., Shuryak, I., Ozarowski, A., Hoffman, B. M., & Daly, M. J. (2017). Across the tree of life, radiation resistance is governed by antioxidant Mn2+, gauged by paramagnetic resonance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114(44), E9253–E9260. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1713608114

Tkavc, R., Matrosova, V. Y., Grichenko, O. E., Gostinčar, C., Volpe, R. P., Klimenkova, P., Gaidamakova, E. K., Zhou, C. E., Stewart, B. J., Lyman, M. G., Malfatti, S. A., Rubinfeld, B., Courtot, M., Singh, J., Dalgard, C. L., Hamilton, T., Frey, K. G., Gunde-Cimerman, N., Dugan, L., & Daly, M. J. (2017). Prospects for Fungal Bioremediation of Acidic Radioactive Waste Sites: Characterization and Genome Sequence of Rhodotorula taiwanensis MD1149. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8, 2528. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02528