International Space Station Hosts Sensitive Disease Research

Working with infectious diseases is a dicey business even on the ground, but imagine doing it in space. The International Space Station is hosting Cheryl Nickerson, a biologist who plans to conduct sensitive disease research in space to see how the microgravity environment affects disease-causing organisms.

Nickerson believes that the ISS could provide a novel way to examine the ways in which disease spreads. In previous studies which included NASA space shuttle and ground-based experiments, Nickerson and her team found that spaceflight culture increased the disease-causing potential of the foodborne pathogen Salmonella. Surprisingly, though, many of the genes known to be important for its virulence were not turned on and off in the same way as on Earth. Nickerson hopes that by understanding how this switching is regulated, she can help design strategies in order to prevent infection. In order to do that, though, more space-based research is needed.

Fortunately, NASA has decided to give Nickerson a chance. Her findings are crucial for understanding the health of astronauts and the implications of extended spaceflight missions. Since astronauts are already faced with the potential for compromised immunity which is caused by space travel, understanding how infections change in space is necessary.

"By studying the effect of spaceflight on the disease-causing potential of major pathogens like Salmonella, we may be able to provide insight into infectious disease mechanisms that cannot be attained using traditional experimental approaches on Earth, where gravity can mask key cellular responses," said Nickerson in a press release.

In a recent experiment aboard space shuttle mission STS-135, Nickerson and her team flew a genetically modified Salmonella-based anti-pneumoccal vaccine. By understanding exactly how microgravity affects the gene expression and immunogenicity of the vaccine strain, the team plans to genetically modify the strain back on Earth in order to enhance its ability to confer a protective immune response against pneumococcal pneumonia.

These and future experiments aboard the ISS could help Nickerson and her team further understand the cues underlying bacteria virulence, and could potentially allow scientists to better combat disease. It could have far-reaching benefits for the public and their health.