Author

Dr. Schmidt  has authored numerous scientific papers in the field of medicine and human performance, including recent textbooks of space medicine and artificial intelligence (in development). 

His textbook, Building a Space-Faring Civilization (Elsevier 2025), gathers some of the most accomplished thought leaders in the field of human spaceflight today. Collectively, they helped build the international space station (ISS), develop the field of orbital medicine, guide the development of commercial orbital platforms, plan missions to the Moon and Mars, and forge the innovation necessary for the commercial spaceflight industry to thrive today. The result is an exceptional source of wisdom, experience, and insight surrounding the current biomedical, technical, industrial, legal, and social implications of what is emerging as a true renaissance period in human history.

This book is being followed by his subsequent textbook entitled, Foundations of Research for Human Spaceflight (Elsevier, Academic Press, 2026), which is focused on the foundational operating principles of building a human research program for civilians traveling, living, and working in space. In 2027, he and his team will release a textbook on artificial intelligence in clinical medicine.

Dr. Schmidt’s forthcoming book Brain Fitness for Leaders (2026) is a book for those who wish to become a leader in their field or a leader of others. It is focused on how brain fitness drives our cognitive processes, which in turn, shapes every aspect of our leadership capabilities. From assessing and interpreting data, to determining right courses of action, to decision making, to forming human connection, to resolving conflict, the efficiency of brain operations has considerable influence on a leader’s trajectory in the short- and long-term. And brain fitness is the driver.

Brain Fitness for Leaders
Image Credit: Elsevier
Space Faring Cover
Image Credit: Sovaris Aerospace

“Dr. Michael Schmidt is one of the brilliant minds in medicine today.”
 
Joli Root, WVNJ Radio, New York

Recent Scientific Publications (Selected)

  • LeRoy, E, Kim, JK, Crucian, B, Schmidt, MA, Mason, CE. et al. (2025) Long-term Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Suppression in Astronauts and Clinical Implications.
  • Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, JS (2025) Using Functionally Characterized Networks in the Application of Precision Medicine in Space. In Legato, MJ, Schmidt, MA (Eds). Building a Space Faring Civilization: Advancing the Renaissance of Science, Medicine, and Human Performance in Civilian Spaceflight. NY, NY, Elsevier, 2025.
  • Schmidt, CM, Schmidt, MA, Paterson, T (2025) The Astronaut Digital Twin: Accelerating Discovery and Countermeasure Development in the Optimization of Human Space Exploration. In Legato, MJ, Schmidt, MA (Eds). Building a Space Faring Civilization: Advancing the Renaissance of Science, Medicine, and Human Performance in Civilian Spaceflight. NY, NY, Elsevier, 2025.
  • Jones, JA, Johnston, SL, Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, JS, Alrabaa, A (2025) Lessons Learned Part I: Medical Screening, Standards, and In-flight Medical Incidents, Events, or Risks. In Legato, MJ, Schmidt, MA (Eds). Building a Space Faring Civilization: Advancing the Renaissance of Science, Medicine, and Human Performance in Civilian Spaceflight. NY, NY, Elsevier, 2025.
  • Johnston, SL, Jones, JA, Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, JS, Alrabaa, A (2025) Lessons Learned Part II: In-flight Medical Equipment, Capabilities, and Countermeasures; and New Medical Paradigms for the Future Flights to LEO and Beyond. In Legato, MJ, Schmidt, MA (Eds). Building a Space Faring Civilization: Advancing the Renaissance of Science, Medicine, and Human Performance in Civilian Spaceflight. NY, NY, Elsevier, 2025.
  • Schmidt, MA, Marge, M (2025) The Human Research Program for Civilian Spaceflight and Habitation. In Legato, MJ, Schmidt, MA (Eds). Building a Space Faring Civilization: Advancing the Renaissance of Science, Medicine, and Human Performance in Civilian Spaceflight. NY, NY, Elsevier, 2025.
  • Johnston, ST, Schmidt, CM, Hubbard, R, Legato, MJ, Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, JS (2025) Foundations of a Space Bill of Rights. In Legato, MJ, Schmidt, MA (Eds). Building a Space Faring Civilization: Advancing the Renaissance of Science, Medicine, and Human Performance in Civilian Spaceflight. NY, NY, Elsevier, 2025.
  • Overby, E, …Schmidt, MA, Mason, CE, et al. (2024) The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) and international astronaut biobank. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07639-y
  • Kim, JK, ….Schmidt, MA….. Mason, CE, et al. (2024) Single-cell multi-ome and immune profiles of the Inspiration4 crew reveal conserved, cell-type, and sex-specific responses to spaceflight. Nature Communications 15, 4954. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49211-2
  • Overby, EG, …Schmidt, MA, ….Mason, CE, et al. (2024) Collection of biospecimens from the Inspiration4 mission establishes the standards for the space omics and medical atlas (SOMA). Nature Communications 15, 4964. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48806-z
  • Rutter, LA, …Schmidt, MA, … Mason, CE, et al (2024) Protective alleles and precision healthcare in crewed spaceflight. Nature Communications.
  • Mason, CE, …Schmidt, MA, … Beheshti, A, et al (2024) The second space age: Omics, platforms, and medicine across orbits. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07586-8
  • Garcia-Medina, SJ, …Schmidt, MA, …Mason, CE, et al. (2024) Genome and clonal hematopoiesis stability contrasts with immune, cfDNA, mitochondrial, and telomere length changes during short duration spaceflight. Precision Clinical Medicine. 7:1.
  • Smith, SY, Aylwin, CF, Daniels, TF, Greer, JL, Kunces, LJ, Lili, L, Schmidt, CM, Schmidt, JC, Schmidt, MA. (2024). Kavalactones support motivation to move during intensive training in males preparing for military special operations forces. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 21(1).
  • Nelson, TM, Mason, CE, Schmidt, MA, et al. (2024) Pharmacogenomics guided spaceflight: The intersection between space-flown drugs and space genes. (Invited paper, In Press).
  • Bauer, BA ….Schmidt, MA (2024) A multiomic, molecular atlas of breast cancer survivors. Metabolites
  • Schmidt, MA, Jones, JA, Mason, CE (2023). Optimizing human performance in extreme environments through precision medicine: From spaceflight to high-performance operations on Earth. Cambridge Prisms: Precision Medicine, 1, E27. doi:10.1017/pcm.2023.16
  • McCullough, D, Schmidt, MA, …Davies, IG et al (2022) The effect of dietary carbohydrate and fat manipulation on the metabolome and markers of glucose and insulin metabolism: A randomised parallel trial. Nutrients 14(18), 3691; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14183691
  • Kunces, L, Keenan, J, Schmidt, CM, Schmidt, MA. (2021) Molecular deficits relevant to concussion are prevalent in top-ranked football players entering the NFL draft.  J Strength and Conditioning Research 35(11):3139-3144; doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004131
  • Gertz, M, Chin, C, Schmidt, MA, Mason, CE, et al. (2020) Multi-omic, single-cell, and biochemical profiles of astronauts guide pharmacological strategies for returning to gravity. Cell Reports 33:108429
  • Schmidt, MA, Meyden, C, Afshinnekoo, E, Schmidt, CM, Mason, CE (2020) Elevation of gut-derived p-cresol during spaceflight and its effect on drug metabolism and performance in astronauts. BioRxiv 11.10 
  • Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, CM, Hubbard, RM, Mason, CE (2020) Why personalized medicine is the frontier of medicine and performance for humans in space. New Space 8;2:63-76.  DOI.org/10.1089/space.2019.0037
  • Schmidt, MA, Meyden, C, Afshinnekoo, E, Schmidt, CM, Mason, CE (2020) The NASA Twins Study: The effect of one year in space on long-chain fatty acid desaturases and elongases. Lifestyle Genomics DOI: 10.1159/000506769
  • Stewart, GW, Schmidt, MA, Johnson, BD, et al. (2020) Myocardial adaptability in young and older-aged sea level habitants sojourning Mt Kilimanjaro:  Are cardiac compensability limits reached in older trekkers? European Journal of Applied Physiology DOI.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04319-3
  • Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, CM, Goodwin, TJ (2019) Pharmacogenomics in spaceflight: A foundation of personalized medicine in astronauts. Pathak, Y, dos Santos, M, & Zea, L, (Eds). Handbook of Space Pharmaceuticals. Springer Nature. Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50909-9_26-1.