A revolutionary step in the field of regenerative medicine is about to take place beyond the borders of our planet. As part of the upcoming 33rd Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-33) by SpaceX, contracted by NASA, a unique scientific payload will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS). This is an experiment by the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), which aims to investigate the behavior and development of 3D bioprinted human liver tissue constructs in microgravity conditions. This project, sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory, opens the door to completely new possibilities in treating diseases and creating organs for transplantation.

The Challenge of Vascularization: A Key Obstacle on Earth

3D bioprinting technology represents one of the most promising branches of modern science. It allows scientists to use living human cells as "bio-ink" to create complex three-dimensional structures that faithfully mimic the function of human tissues and organs. Such engineered constructs have enormous potential – from platforms for testing new drugs and studying disease progression, to the ultimate goal of repairing or replacing damaged tissues due to disease, injury, or aging. At the center of this particular research is the liver, a vital organ with an extremely complex structure and a dense network of blood vessels.

Scientists at WFIRM have already achieved significant success on Earth, successfully creating liver tissue constructs with functional vascular channels that remain viable for up to 30 days. However, this is also where the biggest challenge lies. Keeping large, thick bioprinted tissues alive is a huge obstacle due to fundamental limitations in creating effective vascularization. Without a branching network of channels, similar to our blood vessels, the tissue cannot receive the necessary oxygen and nutrients, nor can it efficiently dispose of metabolic waste. As a result, engineered tissues lose their vitality over time, and their function weakens and eventually ceases.

Microgravity as a Potential Solution

The unique environment of the International Space Station could offer a solution to this terrestrial problem. Scientists hypothesize that microgravity conditions, or the perceived state of weightlessness, could dramatically affect cell behavior. The absence of a dominant gravitational force could change the way cells are distributed within the construct, how they connect with each other, and how they adhere to the biocompatible substrate. There is hope that such conditions could encourage cells to self-organize more spontaneously and naturally, resulting in faster tissue maturation and the formation of more stable and functional structures.

This experiment should provide key insights into how to produce better and more durable tissue, not only for disease research but also for future clinical application in treating patients on Earth. To conduct the research, an advanced platform from Redwire Space, known as the Multi-Use Variable-Gravity Platform (MVP), will be used. This system allows for precise control of conditions and real-time observation of tissue development, providing invaluable data to the scientific team.

Professor James Yoo, one of the principal investigators at WFIRM, expressed great optimism. "The successful completion of this experiment could significantly advance tissue engineering on Earth and lay the groundwork for future biomanufacturing of tissues and organs in space for transplantation," said Yoo. "This collaborative research has the potential to yield extraordinary results. Using bioprinting technologies, we have created gel-like scaffolds with channels for oxygen and nutrient flow that mimic natural blood vessels, thus opening new horizons for medical treatments, both on Earth and in space."

The Path to the Stars: From a NASA Challenge to a Space Mission

This experiment's journey to space began on Earth, through a competition. Two teams of researchers and students from WFIRM – Team Winston and Team WFIRM – participated in NASA's "Vascular Tissue Challenge." This challenge, part of NASA's "Centennial Challenges" program, was designed to foster innovations in tissue engineering that could benefit both space exploration and people on Earth through advances in regenerative medicine.

Both teams, by demonstrating their technology, won valuable prizes totaling $400,000 to further fund their research. More importantly, they were given the opportunity to test their innovations on a unique platform – the International Space Station. Team Winston will be the first team to send its technology into orbit.

During their time on the ISS, Team Winston will carefully evaluate tissue development and the functionality of liver and vascular cells within the construct. Special emphasis will be placed on the impact of microgravity on key cellular characteristics. For example, the team will examine in detail whether the vascular cells form a proper and continuous lining within the blood vessel walls in the liver construct, which is crucial for its long-term function.

Collaboration as the Foundation for the Future of Medicine

This ambitious project would not be possible without broad collaboration between academia, government agencies, and the private sector. The competition itself was managed for NASA by the New Organ Alliance, an offshoot of the Methuselah Foundation. The nine-member judging panel consisted of leading experts in the field of regenerative medicine, with support from experts at NASA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the ISS National Laboratory, and distinguished academic researchers.

David Gobel, co-founder and CEO of the Methuselah Foundation, emphasized the importance of such initiatives. "Our mission at the Methuselah Foundation includes extending healthy human life through advances in regenerative medicine," said Gobel. "By collaborating with NASA and the ISS National Laboratory to accelerate innovation, we are not only improving human health on Earth, but we are also preparing for the challenges of space exploration and strengthening the future space industry." The potential applications are far-reaching – from creating organs on demand, which would solve the global problem of donor shortages, to providing medical support for astronauts on future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars.