nasa: juno approaches jupiter...translational research institute center for space medicine baylor...
TRANSCRIPT
Deep Space Exploration and its Challenges for
Pharma and Biotech Industries
Virginia Wotring, PhD
Translational Research Institute
Center for Space MedicineBaylor College of Medicine
NASA: Juno approaches Jupiter
Exploring space will require long missions
in a limited resource environment
NASA: Orion capsule schematic
Either you pack everything you’ll need, or the means to make the things you’ll need
a proven strategy.
It’s different when you can harvest materials along the way.
Communication delays mean crew autonomy is required.
NASA: Satellite launch from space shuttle
Strategies?
Bring an MD
but then you still have to plan for when the doc needs medical treatment
What are a doctor’s tools?
Surgery in microgravity is not so easy…
Astronauts already have good health habits,
which means that drugs are the tool of choice.
Exploration missions may last 3 years, with additional time pre‐flight for procuringand packing supplies.
Not many meds have 5 year shelf lives.
You can’t plan to give astronauts expired meds.
Our strategy: eitheryou pack everything you’ll need, or the means to make the things you’ll need.
So, we need longer lived meds.
Better storage?
Small volume – 5 people in a capsule
Low energy best
NASA: solar collectors
Better packaging?
Has to be small, low volume, low trash, or easy to recycle into food, clothes, energy
Better formulations that less vulnerable to hydrolysis and oxidation reactions…aging
Better coatings to limit interaction with the environment
or the means to make the things you’ll need
Or we need the capability to make meds where and when they are required
3d printing –
First 3D printed drug is out
Additive manufacture compatible with isolated storage of APIs and with twin screw extrusion methods
Or natural products?
Microorganisms, bioengineered to produce desired apis
Need a mission feasible purification protocol
There may be lots of crew time, unlike current missions, so it could be feasible to give crewmembers production assignments.
NASA: Astronaut and biologist Kate Rubins
Maybe a way to test purity?
What can your company contribute?
NASA: Dione and Enceladus
What can you imagine?
NASA: Epimethius above Saturn’s rings
All images Creative Commons unless otherwise noted. Check NASA Imagery for more phenomenal images. https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/index.html
NASA Educational materials – for students and for educators https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
Translational Research Institute, Center for Space Medicinehttps://www.bcm.edu/centers/space‐medicine/translational‐research‐institute