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Philogen provides update on pre-planned interim analysis of the Phase III FIBROSARC trial investigating Onfekafusp alfa (L19TNF) in patients with…

FIBROSARC (NCT04650984) is a Phase III trial evaluating Onfekafusp alfa (L19TNF, also known as Fibromun) plus doxorubicin versus doxorubicin alone as front-line therapy for patients with advanced or metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma

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Philogen provides update on pre-planned interim analysis of the Phase III FIBROSARC trial investigating Onfekafusp alfa (L19TNF) in patients with...

America’s Top Stem Cell Physicians: Transforming Lives Through Advanced Medicine – Medical Tourism Magazine

In the realm of modern medicine, advancements in technology and research have paved the way for revolutionary treatments that offer hope and healing to patients facing various health challenges. Among these groundbreaking innovations, stem cell therapy stands out as a promising frontier in regenerative medicine, offering the potential to regenerate and repair damaged tissues and organs within the body.

Across the United States, a select group of physicians has emerged as leaders in the field of stem cell therapy, spearheading efforts to harness the power of these versatile cells to address a wide range of medical conditions. From orthopedic injuries to degenerative diseases, these top-tier healthcare professionals are transforming lives through their dedication to excellence and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of medical science.

At the heart of stem cell therapy lies the concept of regenerative medicine, which focuses on harnessing the body's natural ability to heal and regenerate itself. Stem cells, with their unique capacity to differentiate into various cell types, hold immense potential for repairing damaged tissues and promoting tissue regeneration.

One of the key advantages of stem cell therapy is its versatility, as it can be applied to treat a diverse array of conditions across different medical specialties. Orthopedic surgeons utilize stem cell injections to facilitate the healing of injured joints and tissues, while cardiologists explore the use of stem cells to repair damaged heart muscle following a heart attack. Additionally, researchers are investigating the potential of stem cells to treat neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, and even certain types of cancer.

Within the landscape of American healthcare, several physicians have distinguished themselves as leaders in the field of stem cell therapy, earning recognition for their expertise, innovation, and commitment to patient care. These top stem cell physicians are at the forefront of medical innovation, pioneering new techniques and therapies that hold the promise of transforming lives.

While their approaches and areas of specialization may vary, these physicians share a common goal: to provide patients with access to cutting-edge treatments that offer hope where conventional therapies may fall short. Whether it's using stem cells to promote tissue regeneration in orthopedic injuries or exploring novel applications in areas like neurology and cardiology, these experts are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in medicine.

Central to the practice of America's top stem cell physicians is a patient-centered approach that prioritizes individualized care and holistic healing. These physicians understand that each patient is unique, with their own set of medical needs, goals, and preferences. As such, they take the time to listen to their patients, thoroughly evaluate their conditions, and tailor treatment plans to address their specific concerns.

Moreover, these physicians place a strong emphasis on patient education, empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. By providing clear explanations of treatment options, potential risks and benefits, and expected outcomes, they enable patients to take an active role in their care journey.

As stem cell therapy continues to evolve and expand, fueled by ongoing research and technological advancements, the future holds tremendous promise for patients seeking innovative treatments for a variety of medical conditions. From accelerating the healing of musculoskeletal injuries to repairing damaged organs and tissues, the potential applications of stem cell therapy are vast and far-reaching.

To conclude, In the years to come, America's top stem cell physicians will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare, driving forward progress and innovation in regenerative medicine. Through their tireless dedication to excellence and their unwavering commitment to patient care, these pioneering physicians are transforming lives and inspiring hope for a healthier tomorrow.

Given his unparalleled expertise and success in treating elite athletes and high-profile individuals, we highly recommend Dr. Chad Prodromos for anyone seeking top-tier stem cell treatment. His work at the Prodromos Stem Cell Institute is at the forefront of regenerative medicine, offering innovative solutions for a range of conditions. To explore how Dr. Prodromos can assist in your health journey, consider reaching out through his clinic's website for more detailed information and to schedule a consultation. visit Prodromos Stem Cell Institute.

Disclaimer: The content provided in Medical Tourism Magazine (MedicalTourism.com) is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. We do not endorse or recommend any specific healthcare providers, facilities, treatments, or procedures mentioned in our articles. The views and opinions expressed by authors, contributors, or advertisers within the magazine are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our company. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the information contained in Medical Tourism Magazine (MedicalTourism.com) or the linked websites. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. We strongly advise readers to conduct their own research and consult with healthcare professionals before making any decisions related to medical tourism, healthcare providers, or medical procedures.

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Toddler Beats Childhood Leukemia After Car T-Cell Therapy – City of Hope

Can you do Spiderman? the visitor asks.

Like a shot, 6-year-old Julian Juju Castaneda Figueroa strikes the classic pose, crouched low, arm extended, head cocked sideways with eyes intensely focused forward. Superhero stuff.

And you know, its not too much of a stretch to give this cuddly, fidgety, always-in-motion first-grader the superhero label. Let him tell you why.

I want to be the fastest runner in my class, he says. Sometimes I get tired. But Im still faster than all the kindergarten kids. Know why? Because I have 3,000 boosters inside me!

Out of the mouths of babes.

He doesnt really remember what happened to him. If theres a negative memory, its all those needle biopsies, checking his bone marrow. I dont like the pokes, he says.

Mom, on the other hand, does remember. It is difficult for Nancy Figueroa to retell, without a few tears, how she and the little boy shes raising alone in Compton, California, endured a sudden, life-threatening diagnosis, chemotherapy that didnt work, CAR T immunotherapy that did, plus one stem cell transplant, then another. All before Jujus fourth birthday.

Figueroa said her son was a perfectly normal, healthy baby with no significant problems until age 2. Thats when everything changed, seemingly overnight, on May 9, 2019.

He woke up early, like 4 a.m., she recalled. He was crying and complaining about pain in his knee. He was walking with a limp.

She rushed Juju to the emergency room. X-rays and an ultrasound were normal. His bloodwork was not.

The doctor sits down next to me, said Figueroa, and says, Your son has leukemia.

I didnt get it at first. Cancer? What? I didnt understand. Then the doctor walks away and it hits me. I started crying. I called my mother, and shes crying. Then I called Jujus father, and he starts to cry.

Jujus diagnosis was acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer, with some 2,500 new cases each year. ALL in children is highly treatable, with up to a 90% survival rate. However, some cases like Jujus are classified as high risk for a number of reasons, including the patients age and their white blood cell count at the time of diagnosis.

Most children with ALL respond well to chemotherapy. High-risk patients can also be cured, but they require more aggressive chemotherapy. Jujus cancer stubbornly resisted the drugs. After switching his treatments four times without success, doctors referred Juju and his mom to City of Hope, where tens of thousands of patients have received lifesaving bone marrow and stem cell transplants.

Their new doctor tried to be reassuring as Figueroa and her son sat in the examination room.

Nothing really calms them, said Nicole A. Karras, M.D., a pediatric hematologist-oncologist and associate clinical professor at City of Hope Childrens Cancer Center. You just explain, This is what we can do. The fact is, in the last 10 years, were developed so many new therapies. And every year we learn so much more from kids like Julian.

To treat Juju, Karras recommended transplanting stem cells derived from stored umbilical cord blood obtained from the national cord blood bank. This method, in use since 1988, can sometimes be preferable to bone marrow transplants. A precise match is not necessary. Cord blood stem cells generally havent been exposed to infections yet, which means they havent developed immune reactions, so they are less likely to trigger graft-versus-host disease.

There are drawbacks, though. Cord blood units contain a lower volume of stem cells and they engraft more slowly than bone marrow cells, leaving the patient vulnerable to infection for a longer period of time.

In Jujus case, no family member could provide an exact match, but a search turned up cord blood from a nonrelative that matched 99%. In certain circumstances, cord blood can be better than haplo a partial bone marrow match from a relative Karras said.

With any transplant, the long preparation process can be daunting, even frightening. Juju needed intense chemotherapy and radiation to destroy his diseased bone marrow before the transplant could happen. The process was rough on mother and son.

I didnt know what was going on, said Figueroa. I couldnt help him, and it was so hard to see him there, going through those changes. Especially the radiation. It burned his gums, his lips, his skin. He couldnt eat. He was crying. It made me nervous and scared.

But I just wanted him to be healthy. I felt, whatever makes him better, do it.

The cord blood transplant itself, which took place in late 2019, went so smoothly, said Figueroa, that she remembers thinking, Thats it? And for a while, Juju did get better, which made for a happy Thanksgiving and Christmas season. But by June 2020, there were signs that the cancer had returned.

He developed bruises on his back, said Figueroa, and he didnt want to eat much. They went for tests, but I already knew.

I was so angry and upset, she continued, tears flowing now. He was just 3 . She prayed, but I didnt want to believe anymore.

But Karras had a plan. She would use revolutionary CAR T cell therapy to once again bring Juju into remission, clearing the way for a second transplant, if necessary.

CAR T cell treatment works by re-engineering a patients own immune cells to seek out and destroy cancer. City of Hope researchers have led the way in CAR T cell development.

Considered an experimental process just a few years ago, CAR T cell therapy is now the standard of care for a variety of cancers, including relapsed ALL. There are six commercially available CAR T products including one Kymriah specifically for children.

Jujus CAR T treatment did what it was supposed to do. He went into remission, with minimal side effects. Karras performed another bone marrow biopsy to confirm all the cancer was gone. The test showed no active cancer cells, but also indicated a possibility that the malignancy could return. The CAR T treatment alone would not be enough. But a second transplant might provide a cure.

This time, Karras determined that Jujus father would be the best available donor. Figueroa admits this was complicated the couple is no longer together but she also insisted it wasnt hard to ask him and he did come through, agreeing to donate.

This was a fraught time for Juju and his mom. The failure of the first transplant and the need to go through the process all over again took an emotional toll. Karras and many others at City of Hope did their best to help.

Juju got really great care, and it was a team effort, said Karras. Before the second transplant, he and his mom were really traumatized and fearful. We gave them a lot of help so they could get better adjusted.

The effort was not lost on Mom.

Everyone at City of Hope is amazing, Figueroa said. Dr. Karras did everything that had to be done. Shes one of the greatest doctors Ive ever met, and I trust her completely.

The second transplant happened in early 2021. Juju endured a series of difficulties in the ensuing weeks: His liver and kidneys were not functioning properly. It was necessary to place him in intensive care until the transplanted cells began to work and his systems returned to normal.

After that, Juju kept getting better and better! said Mom, smiling. And now, more than two years later, Hes so good, I sometimes forget how sick he was. I have to look at the pictures to remind myself.

And how does Juju, with all those CAR T and stem cell boosters purring away inside him, feel about the folks who put them there?

City of Hope is great, he says.

Mom agrees, and adds one bit of advice to others facing similar challenges:

Never lose hope.

At City of Hope Childrens Cancer Center, our expert providers are dedicated to delivering world-class, personalized care for children, adolescents and young adults. Each patient is cared for by a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, hematologists, surgeons, radiation therapists, pathologists and supportive care staff, including child life specialists. Our team has access to leading-edge treatments, including our world-renowned stem cell and bone marrow transplantation programs and the latest clinical trials. Our specialists work together to develop a unique, targeted treatment plan for every patient while providing family support. Continuing care into adulthood for survivors, our Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Survivorship Program provides specialized follow-up care for patients who have completed treatment for cancer or a similar illness that was diagnosed before 40 years of age.

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Toddler Beats Childhood Leukemia After Car T-Cell Therapy - City of Hope

Improving Access to Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies – Targeted Oncology

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapies offer life-saving potential for individuals facing hematologic malignancies, bone marrow failure syndromes, some autoimmune disorders, and certain solid tumors. However, various social vulnerabilities significantly influence access to these critical procedures, including socioeconomic status, race, culture, and geography.1-8 Other vital factors that affect access include insurance coverage, associated costs (co-payments, travel, housing, and time away from work), the knowledge of referring oncologists, donor availability, caregiver support, patient comorbidities, health literacy, and personal beliefs. There is an expanding interest in the HCT and cellular therapy community in abrogating these potential barriers to transplant.

Notably, recent strides in access to allogeneic (allo) HCT have focused on refining alternative donor transplantation methods, including haploidentical and mismatched unrelated transplants. The integration of posttransplant cyclophosphamide has yielded outcomes comparable to those of matched unrelated donor transplants.9 This is extremely important due to the uneven distribution of potential donors in the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry, with significant discrepancies based on ethnicity. Evidence from one study revealed a 75% likelihood of finding a full (8/8) human leukocyte antigen (HLA) match in the NMDP registry for patients of White European descent, contrasting with only 16% for Black people of South or Central American ancestry.10 With the use of alternative donors, over 95% of patients have at least 1 HLA-haploidentical first-degree donor.11

An additional obstacle to alloHCT is tied to the location of transplant centers, especially given the prolonged stay of patients and their caregivers during the transplant process. Despite the presence of 229 transplant facilities in the United States (185 for adults and 111 for pediatric care), the concentration of these centers, particularly on the East Coast, poses a signifi cant challenge for patients residing in more rural areas.7 Although 66% of the population lives within 60 minutes of travel time and 94% within 3 hours, the burden of frequent posttransplant visits, coupled with unaddressed housing and caregiver expenses not covered by insurance, creates substantial financial barriers for many.

Some patients may have potential donors and easy access to a transplant center, but another critical issue is the lack of referral for a transplant evaluation. Some existing databases used to analyze disparities, whether institutional or national (such as the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research), focus primarily on those who have undergone HCT, neglecting individuals with conditions who could benefit from transplantation but who have not been evaluated.1 A recent prospective study by Scott et al assessed transplantation referral patterns among 778 patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes or acute monocytic leukemia (AML) in the Connect Myeloid Disease Registry undergoing treatment at community versus academic sites.12 Data from this study showed that more patients at academic sites were considered potentially eligible for transplant compared with the community sites (43.9% vs 27.9%; P<.0001), with multivariate analysis demonstrating ineligibility was based on age or comorbidities. In this study, 20% of patients were not assessed at all for transplant eligibility.

The aging population has become a particular focus in the transplant community. Over 40% of patients receiving allogeneic transplants in the United States are 60 years or older based on Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) data.13,14 Artz et al examined the preferred post remission consolidation therapy (alloHCT vs consolidative chemotherapy) for older adults with AML in first complete remission (CR1). Results were worse initially in the alloHCT group, with an improvement over time. The overall survival rate of those who received an HCT was inferior during the first 9 months after transplant compared with those who did not receive HCT (HR, 1.52; P = .02). Conversely, after year 5, those who received an alloHCT had improved overall survival (28.6% vs 13.8%; HR, 0.53; P<.0001).14,15 These data highlight the importance of a transplant referral for patients of all ages with potentially eligible diagnoses.

Recent efforts have also aimed at expanding access to patients with active disease or measurable residual disease.

These efforts include clinical trials with novel targeted conditioning approaches, manipulated cellular therapy products, and targeted radiation approaches.

Favorable outcomes are achievable, and referral to a transplant center should be considered.

Barriers to accessing bone marrow transplants and cellular therapies are complex and multifaceted. Addressing them requires collective efforts to ensure equitable access and improved outcomes for all eligible patients, considering social, economic, and geographic factors.

Amanda Blackmon, DO, is assistant clinical professor, Division of Leukemia, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California. Idoroenyi Amanam, MD, is Assistant Professor, Division of Leukemia, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California.

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Improving Access to Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies - Targeted Oncology

New University spin-out developing novel adult stem cell-based Therapies – News – University of Liverpool – News

The University of Liverpool has launched a new spin-out company, TrophiCell, that has developed a revolutionary approach to harness the therapeutic potential of adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs).

TrophiCell optimises trophic repair the process by which MSCs secrete factors that promote repair and reduce inflammation in chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis and liver disease. TrophiCell has patented a new approach to cell therapy production that can reliably treat a range of diseases at a scale never previously possible with MSCs.

TrophiCells underpinning science and intellectual property was discovered by the University of Liverpools Professor Anthony Hollander and his team, and offers a new way of generating stem cell therapies. Although MSCs have demonstrated a good safety record in clinical trials over many years, the variation between the small batches derived from different donors has led to an inevitable variability in efficacy. The TrophiCell innovation is based on the ability of MSCs to continue to deliver trophic repair almost indefinitely as they are grown through multiple generations in the laboratory, even when their ability to differentiate into different cell types diminishes. This discovery will enable huge scale-up of MSCs cultured from a single donor source, so eliminating the variability in efficacy that comes from use of multiple donors. This technology enables TrophiCell to generate standardised MSCs, delivering reliable clinical efficacy while retaining the excellent safety profile of adult cells.

To realise the full potential of its technology, TrophiCell will work with specialist Contract Development and Manufacturing organisations (CDMOs) with expertise in high volume production of cell therapies, with medical teams and with clinical trial infrastructure in the NHS and internationally. Professor Hollander is joined by Dr Karen Sullivan, CEO, who has more than 20 years experience of leadership in technology commercialisation, and Helen Delahaye, an industry-experienced Operations Director.

Karen Sullivan, CEO of TrophiCell, said: There are currently limited treatment options for common debilitating chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis and liver fibrosis. Although, MSC therapies offer innovative treatments for these conditions, their use has been limited by scalability issues and high cost of manufacturing. Trophicell technology overcomes these barriers enabling development of scalable MSC therapies with superior clinical efficacy, simpler route to manufacturing and at a lower cost than previous candidate MSC therapies. Trophicell technology utilises adult MSCs, which are as scalable as induced Pluripotent stem cells iPSCs with a better safety profile and a simpler manufacturing process. Ultimately, we believe this innovation will enable us to develop therapies that will make a real difference to patients quality of life.

Professor Anthony Hollander, founder of TrophiCell and University of Liverpools Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research & Impact said: As a University, we are committed to translating research into clinical practice and Im delighted that our stem cell research will have the chance, through TrophiCell, to reach the people who will benefit from it most.

L to R Emma Nolan, Head of IP Commercialisation; Dr Karen Sullivan, CEO; Professor Anthony Hollander, CSO; and Helen Delahaye, Operations Director.

The company has received investment from the University of Liverpools Enterprise Investment Fund (EIF) to provide start-up capital and is currently working on an initial investment round of 7.5M to fund the pre-clinical stage of development.

TrophiCell is supported by the Universitys IP Commercialisation Team, part of Research, Partnerships and Innovation, who work with academics to protect and commercialise their research, either via spin-out or licensing. Find out more about TrophiCell at http://www.trophicell.com or contact us at karen.sullivan@trophicell.com.

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New University spin-out developing novel adult stem cell-based Therapies - News - University of Liverpool - News

Stem Cell Science and Human Research Studies Ahead of Cargo Arrival – NASA Blogs

The seven-member Expedition 70 crew gathers for a dinner time portrait inside the International Space Stations Unity module. In the front row from left are, Flight Engineers Konstantin Borisov of Roscosmos, Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA, and Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). In the back row are, Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency), NASA Flight Engineer Loral OHara, and Roscosmos Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub.

A cargo craft loaded with nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies is currently in orbit heading to the International Space Station, targeting early Saturday for docking. As the Expedition 70 crew members await the arrival of Progress 87, stem cell science, heart rate data collection and eye exam activities topped their research schedule on Thursday.

Progress 87 successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:25 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 14. On Saturday, Feb. 17, the cargo craft will automatically dock to the aft port of the Zvezda service module at 1:12 a.m., with cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on duty to monitor the spacecrafts arrival.

Aboard station, four orbital residents spent most of the day on theMesenchymal Stem Cells in Microgravity Induced Bone Loss(MABL-A) investigation. MABL-Adelivered aboard Northrop Grummans20thCommercial Resupply Missionassesses the effects of microgravity on bone marrow stem cells.In the morning, NASA astronaut Loral OHara collected BioCell samples inside the habitat with assistance from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furkawa. In the afternoon, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli took over the BioCell sampling work with assistance from ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen.

Mogensen also spent part of the day photographingPlant-Microbe Interactions in Space(APEX-10) petri platesanother investigation that launched aboard Northrop Grummans 20th resupply missionto examine whether beneficial microbes can mitigate some of the negative effects the space environment can have on plant growth and development.

In the afternoon, OHara conducted an array of activities for the CIPHER investigation, including the collection of heart rate data and completing an eye exam. CIPHER, or Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research, is an all-encompassing, total-body approach that examines how humans adapt tospaceflight.

In the Roscosmos segment, Chub worked with Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov to film an educational video that demonstrates the capabilities of Roscosmos scientific hardware aboard station. Meanwhile, Kononenko conducted some routine maintenance in Zarya module. Near the end of the day, Borisov examined the Earths nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet for an ongoing investigation aboard the orbital lab.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: http://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

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Stem Cell Science and Human Research Studies Ahead of Cargo Arrival - NASA Blogs

Space Station Astronauts Conduct Stem Cell Science and Human Research Ahead of Cargo Arrival – SciTechDaily

The suns last rays illuminate Earths atmosphere and refract in the camera lense in this photograph of an orbital sunset from the International Space Station as it soared 261 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the northern coast of Japan. Credit: NASA

A cargo craft loaded with nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies is currently in orbit heading to the International Space Station, targeting early Saturday for docking. As the Expedition 70 crew members await the arrival of Progress 87, stem cell science, heart rate data collection, and eye exam activities topped their research schedule on Thursday.

Progress 87 successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:25 p.m. EST Wednesday, February 14. On Saturday, February 17, the cargo craft will automatically dock to the aft port of the Zvezda service module at 1:12 a.m., with cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on duty to monitor the spacecrafts arrival.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral OHara treats brain cell-like samples inside the Kibo laboratory modules Life Science Glovebox aboard the International Space Station. She was processing the samples for the Cerebral Ageing space biology study that is exploring the degenerative processes of brain cells. Results may provide insights into accelerated aging symptoms seen in space and neurodegenerative diseases experienced on Earth. Credit: NASA

Aboard the station, four orbital residents spent most of the day on the Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Microgravity Induced Bone Loss(MABL-A) investigation. MABL-Adelivered aboard Northrop Grummans20thCommercial Resupply Missionassesses the effects of microgravity on bone marrow stem cells.In the morning, NASA astronaut Loral OHara collected BioCell samples inside the habitat with assistance from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furkawa. In the afternoon, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli took over the BioCell sampling work with assistance from ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen.

Mogensen also spent part of the day photographingPlant-Microbe Interactions in Space(APEX-10) petri platesanother investigation that launched aboard Northrop Grummans 20th resupply missionto examine whether beneficial microbes can mitigate some of the negative effects the space environment can have on plant growth and development.

Astronauts headed to the International Space Station can now sign up for a broad suite of experiments that will help scientists pinpoint how the human body reacts to long-duration missions in space. The research will help NASA prepare astronauts for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Credit: NASA

In the afternoon, OHara conducted an array of activities for the CIPHER investigation, including the collection of heart rate data and completing an eye exam. CIPHER, or Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research, is an all-encompassing, total-body approach that examines how humans adapt tospaceflight.

In the Roscosmos segment, Chub worked with Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov to film an educational video that demonstrates the capabilities of Roscosmos scientific hardware aboard the station. Meanwhile, Kononenko conducted some routine maintenance in the Zarya module. Near the end of the day, Borisov examined the Earths nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet for an ongoing investigation aboard the orbital lab.

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Space Station Astronauts Conduct Stem Cell Science and Human Research Ahead of Cargo Arrival - SciTechDaily