Microgravity in space may cause cancer − but on Earth, mimicking weightlessness could help researchers develop treatments

The MyoGravity project to study real microgravity effects on human ...

As space travel gains traction and astronauts spend increasing amounts of time in space, studying its effects on health has become increasingly critical.

Is space travel truly safe? Far from it – research has shown that the effects of space radiation and microgravity on the human body are both detrimental and long-lasting. Creating space conditions on Earth, however, could potentially help researchers treat cancer.

We are biomedical engineers studying how the body’s cells change under microgravity. Mimicking microgravity conditions on Earth allows researchers to study its effects without the need for space travel.

Lab research in space

Microgravity is a condition where gravity is extremely weak and objects are almost weightless. This occurs in space, where Earth’s gravity barely affects astronauts.

Being in a microgravity environment for an extended period of time can lead to several health issues, including bone loss, muscle weakness, face puffiness and heart changes. Even after astronauts return to Earth, their bodies do not completely go back to normal.

Studying how cells, organs and tissues respond to microgravity can help scientists better understand how to address any related harmful changes to the body. However, conducting research on lab samples in space faces significant challenges.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inspecting safety hardware aboard the International Space Station

In addition to monitoring lab samples, astronauts have no small number of other tasks to attend to while in space.
NASA/AP Photo

It is costly to launch equipment and samples, and experiments need to be planned around weightless conditions and the force of launch. Strict deadlines, limited access to space missions and dependence on astronauts to conduct experiments increase the complexity of these studies, making accuracy and cooperation crucial for success.

Accessing samples after they have been sent to space can also be difficult. They risk being damaged while in the harsh conditions of space and during transport back to Earth.

The process of planning and carrying out a lab study in space can be time-consuming, limiting the practicality of frequent experimentation.

Studying microgravity on Earth

To address these issues, scientists have developed equipment capable of simulating microgravity conditions on Earth.

One such device is the clinostat, a machine that continuously spins samples to mimic the effects of low gravity. By constantly rotating, it spreads the effects of gravity evenly so that the sample is “weightless” or close to it. To mimic the effects of microgravity, the clinostat must rotate at just the right speed – fast enough that the sample doesn’t react to gravity, but not so fast that it feels other strong forces.

Another method called dielectrophoresis places particles such as cells in a nonuniform electric field. Unlike a uniform electric field, which is the same strength and direction everywhere, a nonuniform electric field changes in strength or direction at…

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