International Space Station National Laboratory’s Post

Do you have questions about our latest research opportunity? Join our webinar on August 22, 2024, at 1 p.m. EDT when experts will be on hand with answers. Take your R&D to new heights! In collaboration with NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological and Physical Sciences, the ISS National Lab has released a #solicitation for space-based research addressing some of the most significant diseases of our time—such as #cancer, #cardiovasculardisease, and #neurodegenerative disease. ISS National Lab Research Announcement (NLRA) 2024-09: Igniting Innovation: Science in Space to Cure Disease on Earth is aimed at overcoming challenges hindering progress in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and will offer up to $4 million in total funding for an expected two to three awards for multiflight translational and transformative research and technology development. #Innovation #ScienceinSpace

I recently had the incredible opportunity to visit Dr. Hiromitsu Nakauchi Hiro’ lab at Stanford University where I met with Joydeep Bhadury, whom I first connected with at SynBioBeta conference and his colleague Fabian Suchy. Our discussions quickly dove into some of the most cutting-edge topics around in-space manufacturing for stem cells and organ preservation—areas crucial for the future of long-duration spaceflight. The Nakauchi Lab is truly at the forefront of stem cell therapy and organ transplantation research. They have pioneered the expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for both mouse and human models, and their work on extending the viability of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and embryos through organ pausing techniques is groundbreaking. Their methods have shown promising results in preclinical models, significantly expanding the preservation windows for organs like the heart, liver, and lungs. This kind of innovative research has direct applications to space exploration, where slowing metabolism and vital functions—mimicking natural states like torpor—could prove to be game-changers for long-duration missions. I’m excited about the potential collaboration between our efforts at BioServe Space Technologies University of Colorado Boulder with our new stem cell expansion space facility funded by the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration In-Space Production Applications, my work at NASA Ames Research Center on space life sciences, and the Nakauchi Lab in leveraging these advancements for in-space manufacturing and preserving human health during space travel. #StemCellResearch #InSpaceManufacturing #OrganPreservation #SpaceHealth #BioServeSpaceTechnologies #NakauchiLab #SpaceExploration

Rats in Space? #11 Space and Pharma Success Stories Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research has published results from the first-ever rodent research aboard the ISS. This study explores the molecular basis of skeletal muscle atrophy in microgravity. As we all know, rodents have been crucial in human health studies for over a century due to their genetic similarities to humans and short lifespans. Spaceflight accelerates changes in many body systems, mimicking the effects of aging and chronic disease, making space-based rodent research essential for advancing human health research. Novartis assessed muscle changes in mice exposed to microgravity, focusing on the MuRF-1 gene's role in muscle wasting. The study provided insights into muscle atrophy mechanisms and potential new treatments for conditions affecting millions on Earth. Additionally, the ISS National Lab's Rodent Research Reference (RRR) Missions now maximise research opportunities by allowing multiple investigators to access specimens from a single mission. This yet again proves that the fusion of space and pharma is propelling us into a new frontier of biomedical innovation, harnessing the unique conditions of space to revolutionise healthcare on Earth. To know more: https://lnkd.in/e-bVAZw9 #SpaceBiotech #Novartis #RodentResearch #Microgravity #ISS #BiomedicalResearch #MuscleAtrophy #SpaceInnovation

Another milestone! We are excited to announce the publication of our second paper in Nature this year: The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) and International Astronaut Biobank. https://lnkd.in/gkuNupPX The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) package of manuscripts, data, protocols, and code represents the largest-ever compendium of data for aerospace medicine and space biology. This repository will be instrumental in offering invaluable insights into the physiological and molecular changes experienced by astronauts during space missions. Thank you to our incredible team and collaborators! Dive in to understand more details here: https://lnkd.in/ebmXKTUk Learn more about how we're pushing the boundaries of clinical research and space health! https://lnkd.in/ducFSXTZ Weill Cornell Medicine BioAstra University of Austin Albert Einstein College of Medicine Babes-Bolyai University Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California Buck Institute for Research on Aging Columbia University Irving Medical Center NASA Ames Research Center Florida State University Sovaris Aerospace, LLC Colorado State University SpaceX Stanford University Cornell University Colorado State University Cosmica Biosciences Stanford University School of Medicine University of Washington - School of Medicine 10x Genomics University of Ottawa University of Virginia NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Alamar Biosciences, Inc. NASA Ames Research Center NanoString Technologies, Inc. Element Biosciences #SpaceHealth #Omics #AstronautBiobank #NaturePublication #Innovation #ClinicalResearch #SpaceScience

Cancer in space A mechanism for cancer growth has been found in space as Californian researchers team up with astronauts to combat the disease. The phenomenon, known as microgravity causes cells to age more rapidly after placing them under incredible stress. It would enable scientists to witness the progression of cancer growth more rapidly than compared to Earth. The Axiom 3 spaceflight launched from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on January 18 carried with it cancer cells grown in the lab. Previous missions saw teams notice mini tumors sent to space activated the gene before tripling in size in just 10 days. A much faster rate of growth is experienced compared to back on Earth. Further testing revealed that ADAR1 “proliferated wildly” in the space tumors as they grew with disturbing, unchecked rapidity. Scientists began developing an experimental drug which blocks ADAR1 activation. #opportunities #strategy #programming #design #team #research #data #health #development #collaboration #projects #testing #immunotherapy #cancer #technology #biotechnology #healthcare #medicine #oncology #precisionmedicine #liquidbiopsy #rna #dna #venturecapital #startup #immunooncology #tcells #innovation #growth #tech #lifesciences #biopharma #oncodxrx

🚀 NASA's Out-of-This-World Cancer Crusade! 👩⚕️ Buckle up, space enthusiasts and medical mavericks! 🌌 NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration is taking their "moonshot" mission to new heights by unleashing the cutting-edge power of microgravity to tackle one of humanity's greatest challenges - cancer. On the International Space Station, NASA scientists are conducting groundbreaking research that's shedding new light on how tumors develop and how drugs interact with cancer cells in space. 💊⚛️ The results? Game-changing breakthroughs that could revolutionize cancer detection, treatment, and prevention down here on Earth! 🌎 From accelerating protein crystallization for faster drug delivery to engineering better nanoparticles for targeted treatment, the orbiting lab is giving researchers an unprecedented cosmic vantage point. 🔭 And get this - they've already helped make a top-selling cancer drug easier to administer through IV infusion! 💥 With ambitions as sky-high as cutting national cancer rates by 50% in 25 years, NASA is proving once again that they're the pioneers of "moonshots." So get ready to watch them take an astronomical leap in the fight against this dreaded disease! 🌖 #Space #NASA #Oncology #Cancer #BioTech #Microgravity https://lnkd.in/dWiVMBeR

Very cool project! 🚀 Excited to share the launch of the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA)! 🌌 SOMA is a comprehensive resource integrating clinical, cellular, and multi-omic research profiles from various space missions, marking a >10-fold increase in publicly available human space omics data. This atlas includes extensive molecular and physiological profiles, revealing key features across missions and mission-specific responses. By leveraging SOMA, we can accelerate precision aerospace medicine, enhancing health monitoring, risk mitigation, and countermeasures for future space missions. #SpaceMedicine #PrecisionMedicine #genomics #Omics #SOMA #NASA #SpaceX #Innovation #SpaceExploration 🔗 Learn more about SOMA and its impact on space exploration! https://lnkd.in/eGJqUDct

SPACE-H Accelerator to Explore Astronaut Disease Treatment in Space - HIT Consultant #SPACEHAccelerator: The blog post discusses the launch of the SPACE-H Accelerator program, which aims to explore disease treatment for astronauts in space. The program will focus on developing innovative healthcare solutions for space travelers. #ChallengesinSpaceHealth: The blog post highlights the unique challenges in space health, including the impact of microgravity on the human body and the limited resources available for medical care in space. #PartnershipwithNASA: The SPACE-H Accelerator program is a collaboration between healthcare IT experts and NASA to address the healthcare needs of astronauts during space missions. #InnovativeHealthcareSolutions: The program will focus on developing cutting-edge healthcare technologies, such as telemedicine and remote monitoring, to provide effective ai.mediformatica.com #health #medical #miion #oncology #research #accelerator #biopharmaceutical #collaboration #microsoft #translationalresearch #digitalhealth #healthit #healthtech #healthcaretechnology @MediFormatica (https://buff.ly/4eiHkpi)

This #SpaceSaturday, we're spotlighting an exciting Space Physics program led by Principal Investigator Ying Zou and managed by Program Officer Julie Moses. The project investigates upper thermospheric winds around the cusp region, where solar wind penetrates the ionosphere. All done at The Johns Hopkins University / Johns Hopkins Medicine. The cusp acts as a funnel for energy input from the magnetosphere, making it a crucial area to study. By coordinating observations from Scanning Doppler Imagers, SuperDARN, Swarm, and enhancing thermospheric models like GITM, the team will unravel the patterns, forcing mechanisms, and relationship between cusp winds and thermosphere density anomalies. This research aligns with AFOSR's objectives and will advance our understanding of Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere (M-I-T) coupling, contributing to space physics research and space weather applications crucial for satellite operations and forecasting. Stay tuned for updates on this fascinating exploration! Read more about Dr. Zou's research via her university research page: https://lnkd.in/et86vQMV #SpacePhysics #ThermosphericWinds #Cusp #IonosphereThermosphereModeling #MITCoupling #SpaceWeather #AFOSRResearch

The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) and international astronaut biobank Spaceflight induces molecular, cellular, and physiological shifts in astronauts and poses myriad biomedical challenges to the human body, which are becoming increasingly relevant as more humans venture into space(1-6). Yet, current frameworks for aerospace medicine are nascent and lag far behind advancements in precision medicine on Earth, underscoring the need for rapid development of space medicine databases, tools, and protocols. Here, we present the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA), an integrated data and sample repository for clinical, cellular, and multi-omic research profiles from a diverse range of missions, including the NASA Twins Study(7), JAXA CFE study(8,9), SpaceX Inspiration4 crew(10-12), plus Axiom and Polaris. The SOMA resource represents a >10-fold increase in publicly available human space omics data, with matched samples available from the Cornell Aerospace Medicine Biobank. The Atlas includes extensive molecular and physiological profiles encompassing genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiome data sets, which reveal some consistent features across missions, including cytokine shifts, telomere elongation, and gene expression changes, as well as mission-specific molecular responses and links to orthologous, tissue-specific murine data sets. Leveraging the datasets, tools, and resources in SOMA can help accelerate precision aerospace medicine, bringing needed health monitoring, risk mitigation, and countermeasures data for upcoming lunar, Mars, and exploration-class missions. Source: Nature https://lnkd.in/gkuNupPX