Deep space disease treatment using nano technology

This initiative is a collaborative effort involving Starburst, NASA’s Human Research Program (NASA HRP), the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), Methuselah Foundation, and Microsoft Federal.

The SPACE-H mission aims to: “Support entrepreneurs working to advance biological and medical capabilities with the potential to minimise the health and performance risks in human spaceflight.”

Space presents significant challenges to human health due to its harsh environment. Prolonged exposure accelerates aging and can lead to the development of diseases. Traditional medical treatments used on Earth are often impractical in space due to their size, weight, and the complexity of operating them. As programmes like Artemis push forward with plans to establish a permanent lunar base, there is an increasing demand for autonomous systems that can support astronaut health during long-duration missions.

Elizabeth Reynolds, USA Managing Director at Starburst, commented: “Space-H has been set up specifically to accelerate advanced health systems to support space exploration. We selected NaNotics LLC for our inaugural programme because NaNots – a highly novel therapeutic platform – have the potential to address significant medical challenges associated with deep space travel.”

NaNots represent a new class of treatment aimed at combating cancer and inflammatory diseases by removing disease-driving molecules from the blood. For example, significant tumour suppression can be achieved by adsorbing tumour-produced immune inhibitors, as demonstrated by a Mayo Clinic study using NaNots in a humanised mouse model of triple-negative breast cancer – a condition typically resistant to conventional treatments. NaNots have also shown the ability to neutralise cytokine storms by adsorbing inflammatory molecules that drive these life-threatening events. Their suitability for space use lies in their simple injection method and the ability to confirm target depletion with portable blood analysers.

Lou Hawthorne, CEO of NaNotics and the inventor of NaNots, expressed his enthusiasm: “We’re very excited to have been selected for the first cohort of the SPACE-H programme. The SPACE-H programme is run by some of the world’s top technologists; their interest in our work speaks to the advanced nature of the NaNot platform and its potential significance for maintaining health in space as well as on Earth.”

For those interested in further information on NaNots and their potential space applications, NaNotics has made its white paper, ‘NaNots for Astronauts’, available for download.