Scientists Cultivate Human Brain Models in Space to Fight Alzheimer’s

Space-Grown Mini Brains Offer Hope for Neurological Disease Treatments :

Scientists have grown small human brain models in space to explore treatments for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and spinal injuries.

On the International Space Station (ISS), low gravity enabled researchers to grow brain organoids—tiny, lab-grown brain-like structures—in just 72 hours, a process that takes months on Earth. These organoids mimic the structure and function of the human brain, providing an ideal testing model for neurological therapies.

Axonis Therapeutics, a biotech company, developed a groundbreaking treatment using a modified virus to deliver gene therapy to central nervous system (CNS) cells. These viral vectors could help treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,

and spinal cord injuries, which affect hundreds of thousands of people each year in the U.S. alone.

While early tests in mice showed promise, human models are crucial for accurate results. On Earth, CNS cells grow in flat, two-dimensional layers, but in space,

the low gravity allows them to form realistic three-dimensional structures.

These space-grown brain models gave researchers an accurate platform to test the new treatment, offering hope for advancing cures for currently untreatable neurological conditions.

Space Research Unlocks New Potential for Brain Studies :

“Researching in space isn’t something you’d typically consider,” said Shane Hegarty, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Axonis Therapeutics.

“But microgravity offers a unique environment to push the boundaries of science and tap into unexplored possibilities,” he explained.

In August 2023, Axonis Therapeutics sent frozen samples of their viral vector, neurons, and astrocytes (cells that support nerve cells) to the International Space Station (ISS) on a cargo mission.

Once on the ISS, researchers used a machine called BioCell, designed for cell growth, to combine the materials. The viral vector was loaded with a fluorescent gene that would make neurons glow green if successfully implanted.

In just 72 hours, the cells formed three-dimensional brain-like structures and began glowing, proving the experiment’s success.

Exciting Discovery in Space Research :

“The key moment was when the crew used the microscope and saw large clusters of glowing green 3D tissue,”

said Sheila Nielsen from BioServe Space Technologies, the group behind BioCell.

“Shane and I were sharing pictures of the organoids and were thrilled because this had never been seen on Earth,” she added.

Viruses are excellent at entering cells and inserting genetic material,

which typically causes illness by damaging cells and triggering an immune response.

However, scientists can modify viruses to carry helpful gene therapies, targeting specific diseases or injuries.

This experiment proved that Axonis Therapeutics’ viral vector could deliver gene therapy to human neurons.

“It was incredibly exciting,” said Hegarty. “We confirmed the viral vector’s ability to target genes and showed that neurons and

astrocytes could quickly form 3D brain-like structures in space, something impossible on Earth.”

This breakthrough highlights how microgravity allows rapid creation of accurate brain models, opening new doors for research and treatment development.