University of Notre Dame

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts supported a variety of ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations including in-space manufacturing, cancer treatments, and genetic research KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Oct. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After seven months of living and working onboard the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts of NASA's eighth rotational SpaceX crew mission (Crew-8) splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The mission, which is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, included NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. During their mission on station, the three NASA astronauts supported dozens of research investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®. These investigations spanned many areas, including in-space production applications, life and physical sciences, and technology development, all aimed at bringing value to humanity and enabling a robust market in low Earth orbit (LEO). Below highlights a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored projects the Crew-8 NASA astronauts worked on during their mission. Several investigations focused on in-space production applications, an increasingly important area of emphasis for the ISS National Lab and NASA. A project from Cedars Sinai Medical Center aims to establish methods to support the in-space manufacturing of stem cells, which can be matured into a wide variety of tissues. These methods will be used for future large-scale in-space biomanufacturing of stem cell-derived products, which could lead to new treatments for heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and many other conditions. Redwire Corporation partnered with Eli Lilly and Company and Butler University on a series of investigations leveraging Redwire's Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory ( PIL-BOX), a platform to crystallize organic molecules in microgravity. Results from this research could lead to improved therapeutics to treat an array of conditions. These projects continue Eli Lilly's space journey, as the company has launched multiple investigations to the orbiting laboratory over the years for the benefit of patient care on Earth. The astronauts supported the third experiment in a series of projects from the University of Notre Dame to improve ultra-sensitive biosensors. The biosensors can detect trace substances in liquids, including early cancer biomarkers. By using laser heating to control bubble formation in microgravity, the team improved particle collection—a key step in boosting sensor sensitivity. This research, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, could transform early and asymptomatic cancer detection and other medical diagnostics. The crew conducted phase two of a technology development project from Sphere Entertainment to test Big Sky—the company's new ultra-high-resolution, single-sensor camera—on the space station. In the first phase of the project, which launched in November 2022, astronauts tested a commercial off-the-shelf camera on the ISS to collect baseline information. During the second phase, the astronauts tested Big Sky to validate the camera's function, operations, and video downlink capabilities in microgravity. Big Sky is being developed by Sphere Entertainment to capture content for Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas. In the final days before their departure from the space station, the Crew-8 astronauts supported projects that recently launched on NASA's ninth rotational crew mission (Crew-9). One is a student-led project from Isabel Jiang, a recent high school graduate from Hillsborough, CA, who is now in her first year at Yale. Jiang is the winner of the 2023 Genes in Space student research competition, founded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and supported by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs. Jiang's experiment investigates the effect of radiation and the space environment on mechanisms for gene editing. Results could help develop methods to better protect astronauts and shed light on genetic risks for certain diseases during spaceflight. Another is an investigation from the U.S. Air Force Academy and Rhodium Scientific to compare the root growth of Arabidopsis plants, a member of the mustard family, at two different orbital altitudes. Plants grown on the space station in LEO for four to six days will be compared with similar plants grown on the recent Polaris Dawn mission, which flew in the same type of vehicle at a higher orbit for approximately the same amount of time. Results could provide insights into the production of crops for long-duration space missions and in high-radiation environments. These are just a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored research projects conducted on the space station during this expedition. To learn more about these investigations and others, visit our launch page. Download a high-resolution image for this release: NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 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. SOURCE International Space Station National Lab WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

University of Notre Dame researchers are leveraging the International Space Station National Laboratory to enhance biosensing technology for earlier cancer detection CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Sept. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Notre Dame is leading a series of groundbreaking experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS) to revolutionize early cancer detection. This research, featured in the latest issue of Upward, official magazine of the ISS National Laboratory®, demonstrates how bubbles formed in microgravity can significantly enhance biosensing technology by concentrating microscopic substances more effectively than on Earth. The just-completed third experiment, which launched to the ISS on Northrop Grumman's 21st Commercial Resupply Services mission to the orbiting laboratory, contracted by NASA, builds on the team's earlier ISS National Lab-sponsored research. This most recent investigation successfully introduced laser heating to refine bubble behavior, increasing the concentration of particles collected—an essential step toward detecting early cancer biomarkers and other trace elements in blood. These advancements could dramatically improve the sensitivity of biosensors, opening the door to earlier and more accurate cancer detection. "The technology currently available to screen for early, asymptomatic cancer before a tumor is visible during imaging is very limited to just a few cancers," says principal investigator Tengfei Luo, associate chair in the department of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, in the Upward article. "If cancer screening using our bubble technology in space is democratized and made inexpensive, many more cancers can be screened, and everyone can benefit. It's something we may be able to integrate into annual exams. It sounds far-fetched, but it's achievable." ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider Space Tango worked with Luo's team to develop specialized CubeLab hardware to automate the study of bubble formation and behavior in microgravity. The hardware includes advanced imaging systems designed to capture high-resolution data on bubble dynamics. "We're using the unique space environment to push the boundaries of what's possible in biosensing," Luo said. "Our ultimate goal is to make these powerful diagnostic tools widely accessible and affordable on Earth and to accelerate diagnostics that are only possible in space." For more details about the ongoing research, read the full article in Upward. To download a high-resolution image 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. SOURCE International Space Station National Lab

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CisionVision, co-founded by Zhongming (Jeremy) Li, PhD, and Angela Belcher, PhD, is proud to receive up to $22 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Precision Surgical Interventions (PSI) program to develop solutions to a major problem in surgery: critical anatomy visualization. The five-year award will be led by Dr. Li, CEO of CisionVision, and Lisa Knowlton, MD, MPH, project co-PI and Associate Professor of Surgery at Stanford Medicine. Teams that will contribute to this groundbreaking project include Jeffrey Jopling, MD, MSHS, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Herbert Mason Hedberg, MD, and Monika Krezalek, MD, Endeavor Health; and Danny Chen, PhD, University of Notre Dame, and other top institutions that will be announced later. "We are honored to receive this award and work with a distinguished group of researchers to drive innovations in surgical imaging," said Dr. Li. "I am excited to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of experts advancing the frontier of surgical imaging technology," said Dr. Knowlton. "This project holds the promise of a significant leap forward in surgical precision and patient safety." "With the Precision Surgical Interventions program, we're seeking to fundamentally change how surgery is done." Ileana Hancu, PhD, ARPA-H PSI Program Manager, said. "PSI and its technical performer teams are committed to developing tools that reduce the rate of reoperations or accidental damage to critical structures." The collaboration involves: Stanford Medicine: Recognized as a center of academic excellence and healthcare innovation, Stanford will accelerate the integration of these breakthrough technologies into clinical practice. Johns Hopkins Medicine: A leader in medical research, Johns Hopkins Medicine will focus on clinical studies and the application of advanced visualization technologies in real-world surgical settings. Endeavor Health: As a Chicagoland-based integrated health system and national leader in laboratory innovation, Endeavor Health will facilitate the implementation and evaluation of these technologies in a clinical environment. University of Notre Dame: With expertise in artificial intelligence and biomedical imaging, Notre Dame will transform surgical data into clinical insights for more precise and safer surgery. Learn more: Media Contact Jennifer Z. Chen: Email: [email protected]; (917-880-7274) About CisionVision CisionVision is a medical device company dedicated to advancing the field of medical imaging. With a commitment to excellence and collaboration, CisionVision works with top institutions to bring innovative solutions to surgeons, pathologists, pathologist's assistants, and other clinicians to improve patient outcomes worldwide. SOURCE Cision Vision