RIYADH — The Saudi Arabia to Space mission has revealed significant changes in gene activity within cells when exposed to the space environment, providing deeper scientific insight into biological processes linked to certain diseases.
As part of the Mission, advanced scientific experiments were conducted on living cells aboard the International Space Station to study the effects of the space environment on gene activity within cells and how these changes can be leveraged to better understand diseases and develop treatments.
Khaled Abu Khabar Al-Qurashi
Specifically, the experiment — led by Saudi scientist Khaled Abu Khabar Al-Qurashi and with participation of molecular biomedicine expert Wijdan Al-Ahmedi — examined changes in messenger RNA (mRNA) in a microgravity environment, using a cellular model that simulates multiple diseases.
Wijdan Al-Ahmedi
Scientists expect that these findings will contribute to several aspects of the medical field.
The contributions include a deeper understanding of diseases related to the musculoskeletal system, heart, nervous system, and immune system, supporting the development of more precise treatments and medicines, utilizing the space environment as an advanced scientific laboratory for human health research, accelerating medical studies, and reinforcing the role of space research in serving humanity and improving quality of life on Earth.
Source: Saudi Gazette