Translating current biomedical therapies for long duration, deep space missions

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Human Physiology
• Space Biology

Background:

• Spaceflight induces molecular, cellular, and physiological changes impacting multiple human systems.
• Astronauts face risks from radiation, microgravity, isolation, and stress during missions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively map the human response to spaceflight using multi-omic data.
• To identify key biomedical features for monitoring and safeguarding astronaut health.
• To explore cellular interventions for long-duration space exploration.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the multi-year, multi-omic Twin Study.
• Analyzed molecular, cellular, and physiological alterations in response to spaceflight stressors.
• Reviewed pre-clinical models and clinical trials for potential interventions.

Main Results:

• Identified epigenetic, gene expression, inflammatory, and metabolic responses to spaceflight.
• Provided detailed molecular and cellular maps of human adaptation to space.
• Established a biomedical roadmap for astronaut health during missions.

Conclusions:

• Understanding spaceflight-induced changes is crucial for astronaut safety.
• Precision medicine and cellular engineering offer promising avenues for astronaut health.
• The findings facilitate the design of interventions for future exploration-class missions.