09-12, 09:30–10:00 (Europe/Istanbul), Young IFOS 1
This keynote will explore how the inner ear and brain respond to microgravity and gravitational transitions during suborbital and orbital flights. A leading scientist and a young researcher will present groundbreaking findings from inner ear physiology and neuroscience in the field of Aerospace. The audience will also be introduced to the newly established SpaceLab near the SpacePort of Grottaglie (Southern Italy), the first international academic centre for research and training in suborbital flight, equipped with both terrestrial and underwater facilities. This session promises a unique glimpse into the frontiers of space medicine and human adaptation beyond Earth.
As commercial suborbital and low-orbital flights are expected to become common within the next decade, the purpose of this lecture is to prepare the medical and scientific community for the emerging challenges of human spaceflight. The session will focus on how gravitational transitions affect the inner ear and brain, with implications for balance, orientation, and neurocognitive function. The aim is to raise awareness, share cutting-edge research, and stimulate discussion on how to anticipate and manage these effects, bridging space science with clinical practice and preparing healthcare professionals for a future where space medicine becomes an integral part of their role.
Dr. Daniele DE SIATI is an Italian physician based in Brussels, Belgium, with a multidisciplinary background in otology, neurotology, and space medicine. He earned his medical degree from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, followed by a specialisation in Audiology and Phoniatrics at the University of Padua. He then moved to Brussels, where he obtained a second specialisation in Otorhinolaryngology while continuing to work in the fields of cochlear implantation and balance disorders.
Dr. De Siati spent over 15 years at the Academic Hospital Saint-Luc, affiliated with the Catholic University of Louvain, where he focused on cochlear implants and vestibular diagnostics.
Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in Space Medicine at the University of Mons, where his research explores vestibular and postural adaptations to microgravity, particularly in preparation for suborbital missions, with the use of artificial intelligence in data analysis.
He is Director of the recently established Apulian SpaceLab, an academic centre for research and training in aerospace sciences located near the SpacePort of Grottaglie in Southern Italy. The SpaceLab includes both terrestrial and underwater facilities, and aims to support human research, medical training, and prototype testing for space missions.
Dr. De Siati also teaches vestibulometry for Audiologists at the ILMH in Brussels.
In addition to his academic and clinical roles, he serves as Chair of the Networking Committee of YO-IFOS, the Young Section of the International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies, after previously serving as Regional Representative for Europe.
He is also co-founder of the Association of Italian Physicians in Belgium, an organisation that supports professional collaboration and cultural exchange among Italian healthcare professionals living and working abroad.