The first publication out of a series being published by Cell Press on Space Omics and co-authored by Professor Joseph Borg from the Department of Applied Biomedical Science is now online.
This first article "Space omics research in Europe: Contributions, geographical distribution and ESA member state funding schemes" is a comprehensive review of all the European space flight opportunities and research conducted in Life Sciences biology. The ever-increasing list of tools and methods in the multiomics (genomics, proteomics, epigenomics and others) field available to scientists on Earth have found their way to space bioscience, including the International Space Station. These experiments provide a holistic and systems level understanding of the mechanisms underlying adaptation of life in extreme environments including space
The article is a review to consolidate and showcase such contributions are necessary to clarify and promote the development of space omics among the European Space Agency (ESA) and ESA member states. The review identifies and summarizes all the omics works led by European researchers up until 2020.
The University of Malta has also entered this sphere by sending Malta’s first -omics and biomedical science experiment under the Maleth Program to the International Space Station last year in August 2021 and now preparing for its second mission to depart this summer in 2022.
