Washington – Research on the International Space Station (ISS) is helping doctors on Earth find new treatment options for patients.
“We have high hopes for this study and many others like it,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, “and it’s unfortunate that it’s taken so long. We ran this protein crystal growth experiment in January 1986, when we didn’t have a permanent laboratory in space. And now we’re finally starting to see results from this drug research.”
Pharmaceutical company Merck has launched several protein crystallization research projects on the International Space Station over the years, and scientists say observing proteins in zero gravity could help with cancer treatments on Earth.
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“We took a drug called Keytruda that was developed on Earth and has been incredibly successful, and we took it into the weightlessness of space,” Nelson says. “They were able to get the crystals to grow in larger, more uniform patterns.”
Exposure to microgravity could increase the effectiveness of drugs and make them easier to administer to patients.
“This technology allows us to actually focus the infusion of the drug in the body, instead of administering it intravenously over a long period of time,” Nelson said. “It makes the delivery of the drug much quicker, more direct and more effective.”
Current NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is conducting experiments to study the growth of protein crystals. (NASA)
The vastly different environment from Earth has allowed scientists to learn more about humanity.
“The effects of microgravity and radiation on the human body are very similar to aging, so we have a pretty good understanding of what happens to the body in space and what happens to the body as we age,” said Daniel Rockney, NASA’s technology transfer program director.
As we age, we may encounter new diseases, and space is also helping scientists find new treatments through stem cell research.
NASA astronauts conducting protein crystal experiments. (Mayo Clinic)
“It was very difficult to grow stem cells in the lab,” said Dr. Abba Zubair, a specialist in laboratory medicine and pathology at Mayo Clinic. “We couldn’t grow the cells enough for one donor to give to several other patients. So we started thinking outside the box and thought, ‘Gravity is everywhere, so maybe we need to get out of this world.'”
In January of this year, Northrop Grumman and SpaceX helped deliver Zubair’s research to the International Space Station.
“There is evidence [from] Before I go on to show how the absence of gravity changes cell growth, another reason was a childhood dream: I always wanted to be an astronaut. [wanted] “Going to space is difficult for me,” Zubair said. “I have a medical problem and I have a passion for space… [I] “So let’s see if the space environment can solve some of the challenges we have on Earth.”
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The Mayo Clinic reported that the cells cultured on the ISS showed no DNA damage or chromosomal abnormalities, and Zubair and his team said the cells could potentially be used therapeutically, but that more research is needed.
“The idea was that if we could grow cells faster, we might be able to culture them in space, so we could treat more patients,” Zubair said.
He added that he also wants to learn more about treating stroke patients.
Zubair sits in his lab with a tray full of test tubes. (Mayo Clinic)
“Stroke is something I care about personally as it was the cause of my mother’s death at a relatively young age,” Zubair said, “so I’ve been looking for ways in my field and my area of expertise to contribute to stroke prevention.”
Different stem cells also behave differently. Mesenchymal stem cells, adult cells known to have healing abilities, do not grow significantly faster than they do on Earth. But their ability to control immune cells has been enhanced. Hematopoietic stem cells, which can develop into different types of blood cells, grow much faster in space.
“If the stem cells are part of a tissue in the body, say breast tissue that’s been injected with cancer, they can form a 3D tissue, and then you can use different drugs on that tissue in space,” Nelson said. [3D tissue] And then we decide what works best.”
Zubair stands next to a statue of an astronaut and shows off his Outstanding Scientific Achievement medal awarded to him by NASA. (Mayo Clinic)
Nelson said scientists hope to use the same tests for Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors and other illnesses.
“We have a research platform called the International Space Station where we can do this on an ongoing basis and make dramatic advances,” Nelson said.
Research is still in its early stages: Zubair estimates it could be several years before space-grown stem cell treatments are available for patients, though expanding the orbital base could speed up the process, he said.
“We have patients knocking on our door, waiting, they really want this to happen. If there was more funding and more access, maybe the treatment period would be shorter,” Zubair said.
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He also hoped he could be part of an expanding space presence.
“I am waiting for my experiment. So, [the] “We’re not going to land on the moon or the International Space Station,” Zubair said.
