Stem cells will be taken to the ISS station for observation

One of the drawbacks of using stem cells in treatment is a shortage of cell supplies due to slow growth and growth rates in traditional laboratory environments.

However, Dr. Abba Zubair from the cell therapy laboratory of the nonprofit medical research organization Mayo Clinic in Florida believes that this problem can be solved and the rate of stem cell culture is can be increased if the process is carried out . in space.

And now, Zubair has had the opportunity to test its hypothesis with a grant of $ 30,000. He will put his stem cells on the ISS international space station to test whether stem cells grow at a greater rate than when grown on Earth.

According to the Mayo Clinic, experiments carried out on Earth by microscopic gravity (gravity field simulation at a height of 402.3km) have shown that this condition is more beneficial for stem cell development than lips. school lab.

Photo: dantri.com.vn

Zubair said: "On Earth, we face many challenges in cultivating enough stem cells to treat patients. Usually it will take up to a month to produce enough cells. "It is necessary for some patients, therefore, a clinical laboratory in space can provide the answer that we are still seeking for a long time to improve medicine."

In his laboratory in Florida, Zubiar is currently cultivating cells carrying the function of regenerating neurons and blood vessels for hemorrhagic stroke patients. He believes that if these cells are cultured in space, the number of cells will increase significantly, thereby allowing more symptoms to be treated.

"If you have a ready source of stem cells, you can treat almost any disease and theoretically can reproduce every organ in the body with a cellular platform," Zubair said.

In the next step, Zubair will work with engineers at the University of Colorado to create a special cell bioreactor. They hope the device will be delivered to the ISS station within 1 year to start the experiment.