David Bridges
As part of the groundbreaking Crew-11 mission, scientists are sending multiple strains of disease-causing bacteria to the International Space Station. This significant scientific investigation, conducted by the Sheba Medical Center in Israel in collaboration with the US-based company Space Tango, aims to enhance our understanding of how bacteria spread and behave under extreme conditions encountered in space. The experiment includes notorious strains such as E. coli and bacteria responsible for illnesses like typhoid fever and Salmonella.
Once the bacterial specimens arrive at the ISS, researchers will monitor the growth of these different species. After a designated period, the bacteria will be returned to Earth, where they will be compared to counterparts that were cultivated simultaneously in a controlled laboratory environment under standard conditions. The findings from this experiment are anticipated to provide valuable insights into how bacteria react to zero gravity, a factor that could be crucial for astronauts who are at an increased risk of infections during missions due to various stressors, including radiation exposure and the unique challenges posed by changes in gravity. Moreover, the implications of this research extend beyond space exploration; in light of the rising threat of superbugs exhibiting antibiotic resistance, this experiment could unveil innovative strategies to combat resilient bacterial strains.
Ohad Gal-Mor, the head of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at Sheba Medical Center, stated in a press release, “This experiment will allow us, for the first time, to systematically and molecularly map how the genetic expression profile of several pathogenic bacteria changes in space.”
This latest endeavor marks a significant advancement, as the medical center had previously conducted experiments with bacteria in simulated space conditions, which indicated a diminished capacity for developing antibiotic resistance. However, this current experiment is the inaugural one to be executed aboard the ISS. It’s important to note that scientists have a history of examining bacteria behavior in microgravity; for instance, researchers from the University of Houston explored the growth of E. coli in a simulated space environment back in 2017. More recently, NASA initiated an experiment where astronauts were tasked with swabbing the interiors of the ISS to test for the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Daniel Mercer
