Daniela Bezdan is an expert in space health and omics, based at the University Hospital Tübingen, where she focuses on astronaut health and pathogen surveillance on the International Space Station (ISS). Her work combines genomic innovation with spaceflight applications to advance healthcare in extreme environments.

She is also the CEO of dxOmics GmbH, a diagnostics company specializing in rare diseases, cancer, and astronaut health. The company develops cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions using non-invasive sampling and long-read sequencing to enable precision medicine on Earth and beyond.

Previously, she served as Director of the Green Space Center Baden-Württemberg, where she advanced the ecological use of space technology, biotech, and medicine. The center collaborates with ESA BIC startups and other stakeholders to address challenges in environmental observation, agriculture, and mobility, positioning Baden-Württemberg as a leader in environmentally beneficial space technologies.

Previously, Daniela was Chief Scientific Officer at YURI GmbH, a company specializing in microgravity experiments on the International Space Station (ISS), where she developed innovations from space for better health on earth. She has also co-founded several ventures, including Poppy Health, focused on pathogen surveillance, and Analog LLC, dedicated to astronaut training.

She is actively involved in scientific research, with over 55publications in fields such as space biology, pathogen surveillance, and genomics. Daniela has played a key role in projects like the NASA Twin Study and biomolecule sequencing in space. She is the Chair of the NASA GeneLab Microbiome Analysis Working Group, Founder and Co-Chair of the International Space Standards Operation Procedure (ISSOP), and a member of the ESA Space Omics Topical Team.

Additionally, Daniela is an active contributor to the German DeCOI network for COVID-19 research and served as Executive Director of the MetaSUB Consortium, investigating urban microbiomes in over 150 cities globally. In 2021/22, she was an ESA Astronaut Candidate, enhancing her knowledge of astronaut training and health.

Daniela holds degrees in organic chemistry, biotechnology, genomics, and bioinformatics. She has been affiliated with leading institutions worldwide, including EMBL Heidelberg, Max Planck Institute, and Weill-Cornell Medicine, and has received several prestigious awards and fellowships for her work in science and technology.