KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER, Fla., April 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthritis is a crippling
disease, affecting approximately one in four adults. It wreaks
havoc on our joints by breaking down cartilage, the cushioning
between bones. Once that cartilage deteriorates, there's no way to
replace it. However, all this might soon change, thanks to a new
investigation led by biomedical engineering researchers at the
University of Connecticut.
Besides arthritis, these potentially
life-saving nanomaterials could also treat cancer and neurological
disorders.
Yupeng Chen, an associate
professor for biomedical engineering at the university, is
partnering with Eascra Biotech and Axiom Space to leverage the
unique conditions available through the International Space
Station (ISS) National Laboratory to produce DNA-inspired Janus
base nanomaterials (JBNs). Named for the two-faced Roman god Janus,
JBNs are a special type of nanoparticle formed by DNA-inspired
building blocks with customizable properties, making them an ideal
choice over other nanoparticle options for use in a broad range of
biomedical applications.
These potentially life-saving nanomaterials could be used
to treat more than just arthritis; they can help alleviate an array
of ailments, including cancer and neurological disorders. JBNs also
provide a novel system for precision delivery of therapeutics,
including small-molecule and mRNA drugs, to targeted cells and
tissue for better patient outcomes with fewer side effects.
JBNs self-assemble, so environmental influences—like the effects
of gravity—can reduce the structural integrity of these
nanomaterials, which is why Chen thinks JBNs could benefit from
in-space manufacturing. "Self-assembly is different from
traditional materials manufacturing in that we don't have control
over the assembly process, and we can only influence it," said
Chen. "With a microgravity environment, there is no sedimentation
force acting on the assembly process, which means the nanoparticles
can assemble themselves much easier, making the space station an
ideal location to manufacture these crucial nanoparticles."
Chen says JBNs are also uniquely suitable for the complex
storage and shipping conditions between Earth and space because
they can remain stable at room temperature. This stability
eliminates the need for special refrigeration procedures to ensure
drugs are stored at the proper temperature, making it easier to get
the nanoparticles to remote environments like space as well as
different geographic regions on Earth.
The project is part of a series of investigations by Chen and
his team. Before this current project, which launched on SpaceX's
30th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission, contracted by
NASA, the team launched a proof-of-concept mission in 2023 as part
of Axiom Space's second commercial astronaut mission, Axiom Mission
2 (Ax-2). That initial investigation, which lasted approximately
two weeks, demonstrated that JBNs could better self-assemble in
microgravity. Now, the teams want to expand their efforts and see
how the nanoparticles perform on a longer mission.
In addition to JBN production, the team is testing specialized
hardware built for use in space that provides new analytical
capabilities. These expanded capabilities, developed with
engineering assistance from Advanced Solutions Life Sciences, will
help maximize the science return from each mission and enable
real-time quality control and quality assurance assessments for
in-space production.
As part of a separate but related investigation that flew to the
orbiting laboratory in January, Chen and his team sent engineered
cartilage tissue to space to evaluate how effective JBNs were at
repairing damaged tissue. The project, which was funded by the U.S.
National Science Foundation, is still ongoing, but Chen says
initial results from the research are very promising.
This most recent investigation will build on the project by
examining how well JBNs work to reduce joint inflammation and
potentially regenerate cartilage and whether the JBNs can be
further developed to treat other chronic diseases such as cancer.
Results could help researchers formulate new nanoparticle
therapeutics for use both on Earth and in space.
The project could also contribute to the development of a robust
commercial economy in low Earth orbit, as the Chen lab partnered
with Eascra Biotech and Axiom Space to one day
establish a manufacturing capacity that would be used to produce
these types of therapeutic biomaterials in space and treat diseases
on Earth and in space. But before that can happen, the processes
and standards for nanomaterial manufacturing must be established
and tested. Data collected from this investigation will help inform
Chen's future flights and in-space manufacturing efforts.
To download a high-resolution photo for this
release, click here.
About the International Space Station (ISS) National
Laboratory:
The International Space Station (ISS) is a
one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology
development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise,
the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to
leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on
Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy
in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable
market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national
laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support
non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S.
government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector.
The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™
(CASIS™) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative
Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent
microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low
Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To
learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our
website.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate
and individual donations to help advance science in space for the
benefit of humanity. For more information, visit
our donations page.
Media Contact:
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Patrick
O'Neill
|
|
904-806-0035
|
|
PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org
|
International Space Station (ISS) National
Laboratory
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Managed by the Center
for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. (CASIS)
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