UC San Diego: ISS tumor samples

UC San Diego Health said on Friday that Catriona Jamieson, a hematologist at Moores Cancer Center, discussed tumor-sample experiments aboard the International Space Station in a recent Science Friday interview. The segment, published by Science Friday on May 14, focused on how microgravity changes cancer behavior and what that could mean for both research on Earth and astronaut health. UCSD Cancer also shared the segment and UC San Diego Health’s post on X on Friday. Science Friday said the space-based work centers on tumor samples sent to the ISS, where researchers can watch cancer growth under microgravity conditions. The outlet said some tumors can triple in size in 10 days in orbit. Jamieson said that pace of growth could take about 10 years to reproduce under Earth gravity, according to the segment. ### What exactly did Jamieson say about tumor growth in space? Science Friday said “some tumors triple in size in just 10 days” in microgravity, and identified Jamieson as one of the guests discussing the findings. The program said the experiments point to a setting in which cancer progression can be studied on a compressed timeline. UC San Diego has framed the same idea in earlier statements about its orbital cancer work. In a May 22, 2023 press release, the university said low Earth orbit lets researchers study “mechanisms of cancer evolution in a compressed time frame,” and quoted Jamieson saying the setting could help guide new cancer stem cell inhibitory strategies. (sciencefriday.com) ### Why are researchers using the International Space Station for this work? The International Space Station gives scientists access to microgravity, which UC San Diego said can accelerate aging, inflammation and immune dysfunction in human stem cells. In the 2023 UC San Diego release, the university said evidence from earlier missions suggested cancer stem cells in low Earth orbit regenerated more easily and became more resistant to standard therapies. (health.ucsd.edu) Science Friday said that combination makes the ISS useful both as a research platform and as a health question for long-duration spaceflight. The program described the accelerated tumor growth as “a boon for cancer research, and a risk for astronauts.” ### What kinds of cancers has UC San Diego been studying in orbit? UC San Diego said in 2023 that its ISS experiments were designed to explore leukemia, breast cancer and colorectal cancer, while also tracking astronauts’ stem cell health over time. (health.ucsd.edu) The work was launched on May 21, 2023 through Axiom Mission 2, according to the university. (sciencefriday.com) The university said those projects were part of the NASA-funded Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research Center, a collaboration involving the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, JM Foundation and Axiom Space. UC San Diego said one set of experiments tested whether two inhibitory drugs could reverse cancer stem cell regeneration in a breast-cancer organoid model. (health.ucsd.edu) ### Who joined Jamieson on the Science Friday segment? Science Friday named Meenal Datta, an aerospace engineer at the University of Notre Dame’s College of Engineering, as the other guest on the May 14 segment. The program identified Jamieson as a hematologist at UC San Diego Health Moores Cancer Center. Science Friday’s guest page for Jamieson says her research examines how space alters cancer progression. (health.ucsd.edu) The page says her goal is to develop therapies that target the root cause of disease and to advance treatments that protect stem-cell health during spaceflight. ### Where can readers find the latest public update? Science Friday published the segment on May 14 under the headline “The new frontier of cancer research is in space.” UCSD Cancer shared the segment and UC San Diego Health’s related post on X on May 22. (sciencefriday.com) UC San Diego said analysis of its spaceflight experiments is performed after samples return from orbit. (sciencefriday.com) The university’s earlier release said the ISS experiments ran for 10 days in orbit, with subsequent data collection and analysis at UC San Diego. (health.ucsd.edu) (sciencefriday.com)