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India’s convergence of space science and lifesciences not only accelerates innovation but also positions it as a global health technology leader. The country is beginning to explore space frontiers that have remained largely unexplored to date.
At a recently concluded webinar organised by the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, tilted ‘Orbiting Innovation, How Space Research is Transforming Global Health,’ brought together researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to discuss the scientific potential of space research in lifesciences.
Moderating the session, Dr Shridhar Narayanan, senior technical advisor for Innovation, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, also CEO, Foundation of Neglected Disease Research and chief scientific advisor, Peptris Technologies, noted that India is at the intersection of biotechnology and space sciences.
From protein crystallization in microgravity to understanding disease mechanisms in extreme conditions, space-based research is already beginning to shape the future of healthcare. Globally, pharmaceutical research in space is making great strides and India, with its world-class pharmaceutical industry and an increasing space presence, is poised to make a huge impact in the world of pharmaceutical research in space, he added.
The unique environment of space can be leveraged to accelerate pharmaceutical innovation, novel IP creation, improve formulation for biologics due to changes in crystal structure, aging research accelerated due to faster growth of cells, 3D organ printing advantage due to cells being isolated in microgravity and understanding protein structure and function, noted Dr Narayanan.
Dr. Adeel Nasir, SpaceBorn United (Pharma Research in Space) said space technologies will not only help humans to colonize there, but also tackle challenges on earth. There are several studies showing bacteria resistance in international space stations. The space environment is also filled with space radiation and ultra-gravity, because of the closed environment and the distance from earth. There are different strategies to navigate this extreme environment. One of the recent technologies looked into is to bring holographic images or transportation of holographic medical doctors to international space stations, so the astronauts can feel more connected.
Space provides an environment that can be used for drug testing, drug analysis. A recent paper indicated a medicine to cure diabetes which is showing to be radio-protective and this study was carried out in NASA radiology labs. Another is Biofabrication which is production of organs in space using earth-based stem cell research. Yet another is the Ketrida drug which is a monoclonal antibody and its structure was studied on the International Space Station, added Dr Nasir.
Antariksh Parichha, CEO Serendipity Space, an India-based start-up said, “Our efforts are to accelerate drug development by pharmaceuticals in space and then bringing them back to earth. We are building small reusable satellites, to process these pharmaceuticals in space, spend a couple of months there, and return on their own. We are going for a fully unmanned approach to do this, because sending humans, will ratchet drug development cost.”
Dr Suresh Poosala, ResearchSat (Biology in Space) discussed the biological aspects, particularly 3D organ development in space. He explained how microgravity facilitates better cell interactions and organoid formation, which is crucial for regenerative medicine to study diseases like cancer though cancer cells might proliferate faster in space, and developing novel therapeutics like antibody-drug conjugates. He also touched upon AI-simulated microgravity drug discovery and the challenges of replicating earth-based lab environments in space.
Jibin Jeffrey Dhanaraj, ResearchSat (Biology in Space) elaborated on the practicalities of conducting research in space, including payload design, launch logistics, and mission management. He detailed the types of experiments being conducted like protein crystallization, tissue engineering, gene expression studies by major pharmaceutical companies and research institutions.
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