
May 26, 2022
In space exploration missions or space tourism outside the earth’s protective magnetic shield, prolonged exposure to microgravity and ionizing space-radiation causes adverse health effects, including accelerated aging, neurodegeneration, and potentially increased incidences of cancer. This necessitates development of precision and personalized countermeasures shown to be highly effective for each individual based on their genetic profile, so space travel can be made safer for astronauts and space-tourists. While the nominally “harsh” space-environment poses these challenges, it also presents unique opportunities due to its atmosphere, microgravity, and exposure to intense galactic cosmic rays (GCR), for development and screening of therapeutic modalities for terrestrial applications.
Sachi's space-based therapeutic screening can potentially accelerate drug-development for diseases such as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular, and cancer, by leveraging the accelerated disease progression due to microgravity and radiation.