NASA and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) are participating in research aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that could lead to new stem cell-based therapies for medical conditions that people face on Earth but also in space. Scientists are taking advantage of the space station’s microgravity environment and location in low Earth orbit to study the properties of non-embryonic stem cells.
Previously in 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the ISS as the nation’s national laboratory to maximize its use as a unique research environment. Five years later, NASA was authorized to competitively select a nonprofit entity to manage the ISS U.S National Laboratory. So early in 2011 NASA selected CASIS to manage the space station.
NASA is interested in space-based cell research because it is trying to find ways to combat the negative health affects astronauts face in microgravity which includes bone loss and muscle atrophy. This knowledge could help people on Earth, particularly the elderly who are afflicted with similar conditions.
In October, CASIS announced $2 million in grant awards to go to seven researchers to focus on non-embryonic stem cell biology in microgravity. As a result, two of the stem cell investigations to be undertaken by the awardees are scheduled to fly to the space station next year. Their research was highlighted in December at the World Stem Cell Summit held in San Diego.
The awardees Lee Hood, a member of the CASIS Board, moderated a panel session where scientist Mary Kearns-Jonker of Loma Linda University and Roland Kaunas of Texas A&M University discussed their planned research.
Dr. Kearns-Jonker will study the aging of neonatal and adult cardiac stem cells in microgravity and will work towards improving cardiac cell therapy. Dr. Carl Gregory in collaboration with doctors Roland Kaunas and Jun Kameoka all from Texas A&M University will work on a system for co-culturing and analyzing stem cells with bone tumor cell in microgravity. It has been found that since 35 to 50 percent of cancers metastasize to bone, this system will be able to identify potential molecular targets for drugs specifically needed to treat these types of cancer.
For more information, go to www.iss-casis.org.