when NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on September 28. One of the investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory involved a student-led project designed to investigate the consequences of radiation and the space environment on gene editing mechanisms. .
The ISS National Laboratory said in a statement that data from the project, led by principal investigator Isabel Jiang, will help develop technologies to better protect astronauts and potentially clarify genetic risks for some diseases during space travel. He said this could be possible.
Four investigations, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), will be conducted on impending commercial resupply service missions, including a joint project by Oregon State University and Texas Tech University targeting heart health.
“This experiment will use 3D bioprinted cardiac organoids to study microgravity-induced atrophy of cardiac muscle cells,” the ISS National Laboratory said in a statement.
According to the NIH National Library of Medicine: Cardiac organoids are in vitro self-organizing three-dimensional structures composed of multiple cardiac cells, including cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and cardiac fibroblasts, with or without a biological scaffold.
Researchers hope the survey data will improve understanding of heart muscle atrophy, which can occur in cancer, muscle disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, sepsis and heart failure.
It will also be the centerpiece of several NASA-funded projects sponsored by the ISS. and on in-space manufacturing, including research by Sachi Bioworks in partnership with Space Tango. The investigation will use brain organoids in microgravity to test the consequences of new drugs for three neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Researchers will examine the results to see if they can help promote the expansion of new treatments. For patients around the world.
bigger trend
In August ISS National Laboratory and NASA have released a National Lab Research Announcement (NLRA). The announcement will provide up to $4 million over two or three awards to projects that leverage space environments and technologies to develop treatments for diseases on Earth.
In 2023 NASA sent four astronauts to the ISS on a six-month scientific expedition to conduct research designed to improve medical options on Earth.
In 2022 Four astronauts went to the ISS as part of SpaceX’s fifth commercial crew mission to conduct several research studies sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory.
