SpaceX, the Hawthorne, Calif.-based aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, successfully launched a Dragon spacecraft on a cargo mission to deliver supplies and biotech experiments to the International Space Station.
Among the experiments included in the 5,500-pound cargo load, which launched May 4 and arrived at the ISS on May 6, are four "Tissue Chips in Space" investigations. These "organs on a chip" are small devices implanted with human cells that allow scientists to study how stresses, drugs and genetic changes affect humans in space.
According to NASA, the four experiments will study how microgravity suppresses the immune system; how potential drugs can prevent the onset of Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis, a form of arthritis caused by traumatic bone injuries that is common in astronauts; how space travel affects the brain blood barrier and, therefore, brain function; and how microgravity, altered diet and other aspects of space travel impact kidney health.
The SpaceX Dragon also carried genomic DNA samples that had been edited on Earth to contain double strand breaks, the buildup of which can contribute to serious health issues. Scientists at the ISS will then use the samples to observe how cells mutate and repair DNA while in space.
Besides providing insight into the many health issues astronauts experience both in space and after returning to Earth, the experiments can also aid in research and drug development for Earth-bound patients. "The physiological changes in astronauts happens really, really fast, so we can model those in a couple of weeks in microgravity on a tissue chip, but it could take months or even years to clinically manifest here on Earth," Lucie Low, PhD, NIH Tissue Chip for Drug Screening scientific program manager, told Wired.
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