University of Malta academic co-authors paper published in CellPress on routine omics collection being an opportunity for European human research in space (July 29, 2022) - Often when researching the molecular biological changes that happen in space, model assistants such as rodents, worms, and yeast are used to gather data that then gets translated to how those changes could impact humans in space. However, Prof. Joseph Borg and several other researchers from around the world have co-authored a paper that proposes a program that would routinely collect biological samples, or omics, from astronauts themselves in the European Space Agency to help mitigate spaceflight risks and improve the health of astronauts.
According to the paper, published in Cell Press, omics profiling is primed to revolutionise space medicine and improve occupational healthcare that will be important in reducing the risk and increasing mission success on more ambitious endeavours such as voyages to Mars. The group of researchers go on to highlight in the paper the collaborative steps that should be taken to design a standardised data resource that can be used for years to come and as data and science evolves.
“We’ve been lobbying for a routine omics collection program to become part of the standard measure for astronauts in the European Space Agency,” Borg said. “By recovering and analysing this data, we have the opportunity to further investigate the best practices in personalised medicine for the individuals sent into space.”
A twin study was done by NASA where the organisation did molecular profiling of one individual which showed it is possible to use large data approaches to understand astronaut health. In the NASA study, they measured how fit the astronaut was before flight, in flight, and after flight to gather their health information and how it may fluctuate in space. After being able to analyse and see the utility of this big data set, NASA decided to make it a standard approach going forward.
“We took advantage of NASA making this standard practice because we feel it is something other space agencies need to address to ensure they are finding the best approach to their astronaut’s health while in space,” Borg added.
Besides identifying whether this practice is beneficial to other space agencies, which data types to collect, which sampling methods to use, and at which time points, they are also looking at what can be measured by this omics approach such as astronaut’s genomes and what genes are being expressed, what metabolites are present, are there any changes in proteins, and more.
The lead organisation on the paper is a topical team made up of scientists, including Borg, whose work focuses on space omics. They are tasked with looking at how NASA made the decision to take on an omics approach to understanding the biological side of astronauts in space and if this measure is something that the European Space Agency should follow along with as well.
Besides identifying whether this practice is beneficial to other space agencies, which data types to collect, which sampling methods to use, and at which time points, they are also looking at what can be measured by this omics approach such as astronaut’s genomes and what genes are being expressed, what metabolites are present, are there any changes in proteins, and more.
“Thanks to innovations in science, instead of measuring models and translating that data to humans, we are now able to measure people and look at an individual’s genome and predict if their genome is at risk for cancer or diabetes, or if a specific drug may or may not work on them based on their genome. This is an opportunity
to take the same modern molecular medicine approaches and use it on astronauts to identify potential health risks. It is more meaningful than using models and a real opportunity for all space agencies to know and say that the astronauts they’re sending into space are and will be safe.”
to take the same modern molecular medicine approaches and use it on astronauts to identify potential health risks. It is more meaningful than using models and a real opportunity for all space agencies to know and say that the astronauts they’re sending into space are and will be safe.”
Along with providing insight to how routine omics collection can improve astronauts’ health, the team of researchers also appraise ethical and legal considerations pertinent to omics data derived from European astronauts and spaceflight participants, with the goal of creating a policy landscape where data can be as open as possible to maximise scientific potential but as closed as necessary to protect the data subjects.
Professor Borg is an academic at the University of Malta, leading some of Malta’s most ambitious programs to date in the field of space bioscience. Project Maleth second mission has been successfully installed aboard the International Space Station by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and will remain there until return on
a SpaceX CRS-25 dragon spacecraft later this month.
More information on this is available .
