Can we use space to help us create, grow or change the behaviour of  certain things on earth to our medical benefit? 

My original question for this space wonder project was can we use resources from other planets to help cure diseases on earth such as cancer? The reason I choose this question was since there are so many diseases here that are supposedly incurable, would they be curable with resources found in space instead of earth?  But the problem I faced with this question was there hasn’t been enough research done on resources from other planets and their medical uses or simply there wasn’t enough sources I have access to so then I looked at it from a different point of view and thought can we use space to help us create, grow or change the behaviour of  certain things on earth to our medical benefit? And that’s where I found more answers.

 

Typically, when you think of  space you think zero gravity, dark, cold, nothingness. Well In space there is microgravity. Its commonly believed there is zero gravity in space but in fact there is a very little amount, without gravity the moon for example wouldn’t orbit the earth. In microgravity flames are rounder and crystals grow better, which I’ll return to later. Nasa and other space agencies perform science experiments in space because microgravity allows them to do things that are either difficult to achieve on earth, or they’re impossible to do. Although it is technically possible to achieve microgravity on earth for about 20 seconds using a plane, it’s very difficult and can’t be done for long periods of time.⁽⁵⁾

So, what are scientists even doing with microgravity then? In an article posted by Nasa they use microgravity to give them a “leg up” because it allows them to factor gravity practically completely out of the equation.⁽¹⁾ When cancer related cells are taken out of the body and looked at in labs on earth, they flatten out and don’t behave or grow like they do in the body.⁽³⁾ But when these same cells were looked at in space they took a 3d dimension and behaved very similarly to how they do inside the body and when scientists get to see cells like this it helps them study cell behaviour more clearly and how it can lead to cancer. ^(1,3)

 

Cell growth isn’t the only thing that’s better in space, crystal growth accelerates and creates better crystals in microgravity. A pharmaceutical company in Japan called PeptiDream had found a way to reduce side effects on drugs using non-standard crystalized peptides. They used these peptides to attack a certain protein found in 1/5 women with breast cancer who had an excess of this protein which promoted growth of cancer cells. PeptiDream came up with a system to create these peptides, but it was still very lengthy. They then made a partnership with JAXA, pretty much the NASA of Japan to test the crystallization of these peptides in microgravity. ^(2,4)  They tested them in the Japanese Experiment module, also called Kibo,⁽⁶⁾ and the effect was huge. The crystals grew at a much-accelerated pace and more usable and higher resolution crystals were produced which led the company to further optimize their peptides.^(2,4)

ISS and the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo”⁽⁶⁾

 

Protein crystals formed in microgravity in the ISS Kibo Module⁽²⁾

In this video they talk about PeptiDream and all about their peptides. PeptiDreams main goal is to reduce drug prices for the public. At 2:10-2:40 they talk about the process in which these peptides are made on earth with their machine but show also show how long the process it. At 2:40 they briefly introduce the peptide experiment in space and how it could further reduce  prices.

 

Although all of this research is still pretty new, it goes to show that space can help us create better, more efficient medicine and reduce pricing of drugs which will greatly affect the general public. I found all of this information very interesting from being able to study cells almost exactly to how they do inside the body, to the way crystals react in space, and more specifically, microgravity. Maybe in the future we will see surgical procedures happening in space!

Sources

1. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/cancer_research_in_space
2. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/b4h-3rd/eds-space-research-to-treat-earth-diseases
3. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/cancer.html
4. https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2017/06/20170609_protein.html
5. https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-microgravity-58.html
6. http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/kibo/

 

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