Astronauts from NASA’s Expedition 71 to conduct research aboard space station

Research of neurological organoids, plant development, and shifts in physique fluids are among the many scientific investigations that NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy C. Dyson will assist assist aboard the Worldwide Area Station as a part of Expedition 71. The crew members are focusing on launch to the space station in February and March.

Listed here are particulars on among the work scheduled throughout this upcoming expedition aboard the microgravity laboratory.

Modeling neuroinflammation

Human Mind Organoid Fashions for Neurodegenerative Illness & Drug Discovery (HBOND) research the mechanisms behind neuroinflammation, a standard characteristic of neurodegenerative problems. Researchers create organoids utilizing patient-derived iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) from sufferers who’ve Parkinson’s illness and first progressive a number of sclerosis.

The sixth space station organoid investigation, HBOND consists of for the primary time Alzheimer’s iPSCs and testing of the results of medicine in improvement to deal with neuroinflammation. Outcomes might assist enhance diagnostics, present insights into the results of growing old, speed up drug discovery, and determine therapeutic targets for sufferers affected by neurodegenerative illnesses. The organoid fashions additionally might present a option to anticipate how prolonged spaceflight impacts the mind and assist improvement of countermeasures.

Defending crops from spaceflight stressors

Crops can function a supply of meals and supply different life-support providers on long-term missions to the moon and Mars. The Examine on Plant Responses Towards the Stresses of Microgravity and Excessive Ultraviolet Radiation in Area (Plant UV-B) examines how stress from microgravity, UV radiation, and the mixture of the 2 have an effect on crops on the molecular, mobile, and entire organism ranges. Outcomes might improve understanding of plant growth in space and assist enhancements in plant cultivation applied sciences for future missions.

Reversing fluid shifts

Weightlessness causes fluids within the physique to maneuver towards the top, which may trigger adjustments in eye construction and imaginative and prescient often known as Spaceflight Related Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) together with different well being issues. Mitigating Headward Fluid Shifts with Veno-constrictive Thigh Cuffs Throughout Spaceflight (Thigh Cuff) examines whether or not thigh strain cuffs might present a easy option to counter this shift in physique fluids and assist defend astronauts from SANS and different points on future missions to the moon and Mars. Thigh cuffs additionally might assist deal with or forestall issues for sufferers on Earth who’ve circumstances that trigger fluid accumulation within the head, reminiscent of long-term bedrest and illnesses.

Unbelievable edible algae

Arthrospira-C (Artwork-C), an investigation from ESA (European Area Company) analyzes how the cyanobacterium Limnospira responds to spaceflight circumstances and whether or not it produces an identical quantity and high quality of oxygen and biomass in space as on Earth. These microalgae, also referred to as Spirulina, may very well be used to take away carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts, which may turn out to be poisonous in an enclosed spacecraft, and to supply oxygen and contemporary meals as a part of life assist techniques on future missions.

Appropriate predictions of oxygen and biomass yields are essential for design of life assist techniques utilizing bioprocesses. Spirulina additionally has been proven to have radioprotective properties and consuming it might assist defend space vacationers from cosmic radiation, in addition to preserve wholesome tissue in sufferers present process radiation therapy on Earth.