Aerospace Medicine Research
Aerospace Research
Advancing Vision Health: Exploring the Impact of Spaceflight on Ocular Vascular Systems
At Texas A&M University College of Medicine, we are at the forefront of space medicine research with the NASA RR-23 SANS Mission Study. This project is conducted at Texas A&M University with the goal of understanding the effects of spaceflight on the human eye, specifically focusing on Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS). SANS affects about 70% of astronauts on long missions, causing changes in their vision due to swelling, folding, or flattening of eye structures. By studying these changes, we hope to develop ways to protect astronauts' vision on future long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.
Our research begins with the Rodent Research-9 (RR-9) Mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. We transport mice from the Košice International Airport (KSC) to Texas A&M’s Easterwood Field. These mice then journey to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard SpaceX’s 21st commercial resupply services launch. For five weeks, they live in the Rodent Research Hardware System, experiencing weightlessness. After their return to Earth, the mice are brought back to Texas A&M, where our experts study their eyes for changes caused by microgravity.
Through the RR-23 experiment, we evaluate how spaceflight affects the arteries, veins, and lymphatic vessels in the eyes. We also use simulated microgravity models to understand these effects over time and identify biomarkers that could help monitor and address SANS in astronauts. Our findings not only benefit space travelers but also enhance our understanding of eye diseases on Earth, such as diabetic macular edema and ocular hypertension. By improving our knowledge of these conditions, we can develop better treatments and preventive care for patients here at home.
Exploring Health in Space: Texas A&M College of Medicine's Aerospace Medicine Research
At Texas A&M College of Medicine, our team leads the way in aerospace medicine, conducting pioneering research on the effects of space conditions on human health. From the gut-brain axis to blood vessels, wound healing, eye health, microbiome, and lymphatic vessels, our studies aim to advance understanding and improve health outcomes for astronauts during and after space missions.
Gut-Brain Axis in Space Conditions
Farida Sohrabji, PhD, leads our research in exploring the gut-brain axis in space conditions. Sohrabji is investigating how the gut's response to brain injuries, like stroke, can affect recovery outcomes. Studies have shown that such injuries can cause the gut to leak, releasing microbes and immune cells into the bloodstream, potentially leading to brain inflammation. This research is crucial for astronauts who face unique challenges in space, such as microgravity and isolation, which can impact brain health and cognitive functions. Sohrabji’s collaboration with David Zawieja, PhD, has allowed us to study mice from the International Space Station, revealing disruptions in gut activity. Moving forward, we aim to understand gender differences in space travel's neurological effects and explore interventions to preserve brain health in space.
Blood Vessels in Space Conditions
Kayla Bayless, PhD, leads groundbreaking research on blood vessels in space conditions. Bayless is investigating how galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) and microgravity impact human blood vessels. In collaboration with engineering and medical colleagues, one study focuses on how different doses of GCRs affect diseases like atherosclerosis and cancer by affecting blood vessels. Another study explores blood vessel formation under simulated microgravity using a 3D model, overcoming previous study limitations. These projects center on endothelial cells, which are crucial for blood vessel integrity and function. Bayless's research aims to understand how space conditions alter these cells, potentially affecting vascular health and disease progression. This work contributes to our understanding of cardiovascular risks for astronauts on long missions, advancing knowledge of space flight's biomedical health implications.
Wound Healing and Bone Regeneration in Space Conditions
Carl Gregory, PhD, is leading research on wound healing and bone regeneration in space conditions. Traditional Earth-bound remedies face unique challenges in space, making this research crucial for future space missions. Gregory's team is focusing on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow, which have the potential to regenerate various tissues and secrete an extracellular matrix crucial for bone formation. Funded by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASS), they are using bioreactors to simulate microgravity conditions and have discovered that bone formation struggles in this environment. This insight is essential for developing interventions to promote healing in space's low-gravity conditions. Beyond bone healing, their research extends to muscle growth and cancer behavior in microgravity, addressing broader health concerns as humans spend more time in space and on other planets with varying gravity levels.
Eye Health in Space Conditions
Travis Hein, PhD, is conducting vital research on eye health in space conditions. Collaborating with NASA, Hein focuses on addressing the eye health challenges astronauts face during prolonged space missions. His research targets the changes in the eye's small arteries in microgravity, a critical factor as astronauts reports severe vision issues, such as Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), affecting up to 70% of space travelers. This condition, characterized by swelling near the optic nerve and blurred vision, poses significant challenges during and after missions. Hein's studies, incorporating both space and Earth-based models, suggest that the inability of eye arteries to contract properly after exposure to space conditions could be a key factor in these vision problems. His work aims to enhance the safety and success of future space missions by providing insights into the prevention and treatment of vision complications, with potential benefits for understanding and supporting eye health on Earth, paving the way for safer interplanetary travel.
Microbiome in Space Conditions
Walter Cromer, PhD, is at the forefront of research funded by NASA to explore the effects of space radiation on cells and how the microbiome—our body's collection of viruses, fungi, and bacteria—changes in microgravity, a condition with much less gravity than Earth. This research is critical as astronauts face significant health issues related to microgravity, such as gastrointestinal problems and nutrient absorption difficulties, due to changes in their microbiome. Cromer's studies have unveiled that astronauts' microbiomes tend to become more similar to each other and exhibit unusual patterns not observed on Earth, which could impact their health on long space missions. By understanding and potentially refining the microbiome for space travel, Dr. Cromer's research aims not only to enhance astronaut health but also to prepare for the future of space exploration by private citizens, making human adaptation to space a more achievable goal.
Lymphatic Vessels in Space Conditions
David Zawieja, PhD, has dedicated the past decade to studying the impact of space environments, such as microgravity and radiation, on human health through his research with NASA. Focusing on lymphatic vessels, which are crucial for draining body fluids and play a significant role in immune function and fluid balance, Zawieja's work explores how these vessels lose their ability to function properly in space. This is mainly because, unlike on Earth, where gravity and muscle contractions help move fluids, the microgravity of space lacks an "upright" position, causing fluid to stagnate and leading to swelling in areas like the head, neck, and eyes in astronauts. This condition can affect vision and brain pressure, posing challenges to astronaut health and mission safety. Zawieja's research aims to understand and mitigate these effects to enhance the safety and feasibility of long-term space missions.