NASA sent patient-derived organoids to the Space

Alvus Health joined a groundbreaking collaboration earlier, participating in month-long preparations for a mission that culminated in a space launch on March 25, 2024. The payload, launched aboard Space X-30, was designed to investigate cancer biology in microgravity on the International Space Station (ISS). This project, led by Dr. Matthew Strickland and Dr. Aleksandra Stankovic, both directors at the Center for Space Medicine Research at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, was conducted in partnership with Space Tango and the MGH Cancer Center. The patient-derived cancer organoids have since returned to Earth, and the findings are expected to have a profound impact on human and cancer studies. Alvus Health provided crucial expertise in culturing, characterizing, and analyzing the organoids, contributing to the study's potential to unlock new insights into cancer biology. This research could lead to more effective therapies, marking a significant advancement in our understanding of cancer and its treatment. Alvus Health remains committed to continuing its collaboration with this innovative team on future space-based research missions.

A launch sent Dr. Matthew Strickland’s cancer organoids to the International Space Station (ISS). March 2024. Credit: NBC/NASA

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Center for Space Medicine Research - Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Global News - Edmonton doctor working with NASA to study cancer samples in space