It’s 2038.
A group of NASA astronauts headed for Mars on a six-month scientific mission carry with them personalized stem cell banks. The stem cells can be injected to help ward off the effects of space radiation, such as cancer or degenerative disorders that impact the heart, blood vessels and eyes.
Sound far-fetched? Even something out of a science fiction novel?
Not if Kamesh Narasimhan’s research bears fruit.
Narasimhan, an associate research scientist and synthetic biologist in Arizona State University’s Beyond Center, which is part of The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is leading a team whose goal is to make space exploration easier by producing stem cells that are resistant to radiation.
The NeoMatter team will present its research at the Space-Edge Virtual Showcase on Jan. 21. The first-ever, three-hour showcase features 17 teams from Arizona, Tennessee and Florida that will show their work to an advisory panel of space and health care experts, as well as financial companies that could help fund further research.
Each team will make a five-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session with the panel.
The event is the culmination of the Space-Edge Accelerator program, a collaborative effort between ASU and other institutions designed to merge biomedical advancements with the rapidly growing space economy, which is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2040.
“This is a totally new program,” said Jessica Rousset, director of ASU’s Interplanetary Initiative. “We are going to be sending more humans into space, so their health is going to be critical. Innovations to keep humans healthy are going to be critical.”
According to NASA, astronauts are exposed to higher levels of radiation in space than on Earth, which can lead to the development of certain cancers.
In applying to be part of the accelerator program, Narasimhan and his team proposed making materials that would help shield humans from space radiation. But over the course of the three-month program, they changed course and began examining the idea of making radiation-protective stem cells.