Vaccine research in space

[pmn1]

<p>http://www.in-pharmatechnologist.com//news/ng.asp?n=85658&c=hYP3dtp9bSWwoN8WTYG3UA%3D%3D</p><h1 style="margin:auto0cm"><span style="font-weight:normal;font-size:12pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Blast off for vaccine research in space.</font></span></h1><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span class="verdana93333331"><span><font color="#333333">03-Jun-2008</font></span></span><span style="color:#333333"> - Biotech research has taken a giant leap following the launch of a NASA shuttle containing an experiment for development of a <em>Salmonella</em> vaccine. </span></font></font><span style="font-size:12pt"><font face="Times New Roman">On board the 14 day mission is a </font><span style="color:#004276"><font face="Times New Roman">vaccine</font></span><font face="Times New Roman"> which was selected from hundreds of strains in a prior launch in March, as well as a supply of worms for testing.<br /><br />The researchers believe that the conditions in </font><span style="color:#004276"><font face="Times New Roman">space</font></span><font face="Times New Roman">, particularly the microgravity, provide a superior environment for the development of a <em>Salmonella </em>vaccine.<br /><br />Dr Jeanne Becker, chief science officer at </font><span style="color:#004276"><font face="Times New Roman">BioSpace Technologies</font></span><font face="Times New Roman">, said: "<em>We are using the microgravity environment as a tool to grow cells in space that provides enhanced conditions to identify valuable vaccine targets</em>."<br /><br />Becker went on to say that research into a <em>Salmonella</em> vaccine on Earth had always been inhibited by the speed at which the bacterium's virulence dissipates.<br /><br />This left too little time to develop an effective treatment but space appears to offer a solution. <br /><br />Research conducted in September 2006 showed that the microgravity in space caused </font><span style="color:#004276"><font face="Times New Roman">salmonella</font></span><font face="Times New Roman">'s potency to triple, giving researchers a bigger window in which to genetically manipulate a strain with potential for vaccine development.<br /><br />The promise shown by such research prompted Space Florida and BioSpace Technologies to form a partnership to perform biotech research, which they believe could ignite the field of space based research.</font></span><span style="font-size:12pt"><br /><font face="Times New Roman">NASA has claimed the area has potential, telling congress in May 2007 that microgravity could benefit the fields of molecular biology, tissue culturing, bone demineralization, antibiotics production and plant genetics.<br /><br />The International Space Station (ISS) is the most suitable space for such research and has been utilised by governmental institutions and universities since 2000. <br /><br />In addition, since 2005 part of the ISS has been designated a National Laboratory for use by the private sector for research, development and industrial processing.<br /><br />However, uptake has been limited, with </font><span style="color:#004276"><font face="Times New Roman">NASA</font></span><font face="Times New Roman"> itself acknowledging that "<em>increasing the frequency and predictability of access to space has proven to be a necessary requirement for success</em>".<br /><br />This has been constrained by NASA's desire to complete the ISS by 2010 but it has stated that its $500m investment in commercial orbital transportation services should remedy the situation.<br /><br />With this in place Space Florida's ambition of "<em>establishing a space-based, biotech corridor that stretches from the International Space Station to the Space Life Sciences Lab at NASA (Florida)</em>" could make the small step out of the realm of science fiction and into reality.</font></span><span style="font-size:12pt"><font face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></span> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>