Cancer in low-Earth Orbit

In partnership with Axiom Space, the Cancer in LEO project from the Sanford Stem Cell Institute will study tumor organoids in microgravity with the goal to identify early warning signs of cancer for prediction and prevention of the disease. This project is part of the expanded ISSCOR collaboration between the Sanford Stem Cell Institute, JM Foundation, and Axiom Space, which aims to use microgravity to further understand stem cells, cancer, and aging-related effects in space to develop better prediction of disease and therapeutics for patients on Earth.

The Cancer in LEO-3 investigation builds on research from previous Axiom missions that studied cancer growth in space. It aims to validate earlier findings on tumor organoids and explore how a new model of triple negative breast cancer responds to drug challenges in low Earth orbit (LEO). This research is crucial for space missions as it examines the impact of microgravity and radiation in LEO on cancer cell growth compared with growth in a terrestrial environment. The findings could lead to better cancer treatments on Earth by revealing how cancer cells behave in microgravity and identifying new therapeutic targets for metastatic cancers. This project is part of the Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Reseach (ISSCOR) collaboration between the Sanford Stem Cell Institute, JM Foundation, and Axiom Space, which aims to use microgravity to further understand stem cells, cancer, and aging-related effects in space in order to develop better prediction of disease and therapeutics for patients on Earth.

Image credit: UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute