Wake Forest University researchers to send lab-grown organs to space for cancer research

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine says it will help lead a pioneering cancer research project aboard the International Space Station.

The project is one of five chosen through competitive solicitation by the ISS National Lab in partnership with NASA, according to a WFIRM news release.

It aims to explore the effects of a low-gravity environment, or microgravity, on cancer development and treatment.

The project will be led by Dr. Shay Soker and focus on the use of organoids, which are miniature, simplified versions of organs grown in the lab from cells recovered from colorectal cancer patients.

The organoids will be sent to the ISS to study how microgravity affects cancer growth and response to treatment, which could offer insights that could revolutionize cancer therapies here on Earth.

“Being selected for this project is an incredible honor and opportunity for our team at WFIRM,” Dr. Soker said. “The microgravity environment of the ISS provides a unique setting to study cancer in ways that are not possible on Earth. This research has the potential to unlock new understandings of cancer behavior and lead to more effective treatments.”

The ISS National Lab, in collaboration with NASA, seeks to harness the power of space-based research to benefit life on Earth.

The selected projects are at the forefront of scientific exploration and innovation and aim to push the boundaries of what is possible in cancer research.

“This selection underscores WFIRM’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific research and finding innovative solutions to some of the world’s most challenging health issues,” said Dr. Anthony Atala, director of the WFIRM and co-lead for the grant. “Conducting this research in the microgravity environment of the ISS offers us a rare opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of cancer with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes here on Earth.”

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