By Diagnostics World Staff
June 22, 2017 | Emulate announced that it has received a research grant to use the company’s human Brain-Chip system and develop a fully automated research platform, to conduct experiments on the International Space Station. Studies will analyze the Brain-Chip, which consists of neuronal and vascular endothelial cells in a living micro-engineered environment. Experiments will be conducted under healthy and inflamed states to assess how space travel affects neuronal function.
The NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) provided the award of $2 million. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the organization tasked by NASA to manage and promote research onboard the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, will coordinate the implementation of Emulate’s Human Emulation System to conduct research in space.
Freed from the effects of gravity found on Earth, the International Space Station provides an environment where researchers can study human health in microgravity, allowing them to decouple the force of gravity from other effects that can impact brain cell function. Different experiments using the Brain-Chip will study how other space travel stressors — such as hypergravity experienced during launch, reduced availability of oxygen known as hypoxia, and increased levels of stress hormones — influence brain function.
This project is also designed to provide insight into the relationship between inflammation and brain function, a very active area of investigation for furthering understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. One particular aspect of the brain that the research will focus on will be blood–brain-barrier functionality. The blood-brain-barrier protects the brain by preventing unwanted substances entering the brain, and can be altered during inflammation. The studies will use the Brain-Chip to evaluate the efficacy of anti-inflammatory therapeutic intervention on the blood–brain barrier in space.
Emulate will adapt the instrumentation of its Human Emulation System in order to achieve the requirements for use of Organs-on-Chips technology on the International Space Station, which includes automation of experiments and size constraints. Technical developments will also include innovations to Emulate’s fluidic systems.
Emulate will work with two partners to develop space-compatible hardware. IRPI, a company that specializes in the design of fluid systems for space, offers unique terrestrial testing platforms to ensure the robustness of the systems in microgravity. The other partner is SpaceTango, a company that facilitates microgravity research using their experimental ecosystem onboard the International Space Station.