EN

SI-WHIM: Space ImmunoBioInks for Wound Healing In Microgravity

United Arab Emirates | Biosciences, Engineering Sciences

Swiss partners

  • AO Research Institute Davos: Jacek Wychowaniec (main applicant)

Partners in the MENA region

  • New York University Abu Dhabi, Emirats arabes unis: Jeremy Teo (main applicant)

Presentation of the projet

We are now entering a realm of new and exciting space exploration era. The hostile space environment is known to affect both human and microbial biological processes, including the immune system. Spaceflights were shown to dysregulate the function of astronauts’ immune system, suppressing both the function of innate and adaptive immune cells, manifesting a reduced response to both dormant as well as potentially external pathogens. One the main dangers of space, is a potential dysregulation of the entire wound healing process, which will result in an influx of external pathogens. Immune cells, in particular macrophages, are the main orchestrators of the wound healing process and their space-induced dysfunction could potentially cause abnormal wound healing. For healthy wound healing in space, it is envisioned that a rapid seal must be applied, and subsequently space-induced dysfunction immune cells be modulated to operate in an appropriate and healthy manner. The former functions to protect and immediately prevent further infiltration of external pathogens. From data obtained from the RPG Space ImmunoBioinks, we hypothesize that the Space ImmunoBioinks serve both purposes. The supramolecular self-assembling material escapes the need for externally applied stimuli to achieve crosslinking or polymerization for physical stabilization, ideal for dressing the local unique spatial space of individualized wounds immediately through extrusion delivery. Secondly Space ImmunoBioink is a structuring hydrogel that enables the physical entrapment of biochemical signals or immune cells, our preliminary findings show that macrophages exposed to peptide sequences of the hydrogel can be modulated to likely facilitate wound healing. Such immune cells can be alternatively recruited to wound site through chemotaxis via diffusion released biochemical signals or delivered with the application of the Space ImmunoBioink hydrogels.
In SI-WHIM - Space ImmunoBioInks for Wound Healing In Microgravity project we propose to generate a small lab-on-a-chip bioreactor onboard the random positioning machine that provides microgravity (µG) conditions, to study efficacy and stability of Space ImmunoBioInks for healing simulated ‘wounds’ under μG. This will be achieved by studying macrophage-mediated myofibrotic activity of fibroblastic cells into simulated ‘wounds’ under μG. The envisaged technology will contribute towards space bioengineering research.