Lancaster Lab: IN SPACE!

One of the most amazing and gratifying aspects of an academic research career is the endless directions and opportunities that can be pursued. In the end, we are scientists because we want to better understand nature and the world, and thus the contexts for discovery are near infinite. I had the unique opportunity to attend the International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) in early August, held in downtown Seattle, WA. As a biomedical scientist, I had not realized that I could have such an insight into the awe-inspiring realm of spaceflight and discovery. Given my interest in tissue engineering and stem cell biology in space, I am already thinking of potential NASA or NSF grants to apply for.

It was so cool to see the space programs of many nations and many commercial entities all in one place.

I am new enough in my position that I am not quite yet overwhelmed by student requests for laboratory experiences, though they are starting to increase in numbers and it makes me sad that I can’t assist them all. In any case, I do what I can, and several months ago I received a very articulate email from a high school student, Manasi, expressing interest in immunology and asking if she could volunteer in the lab. It can be challenging to have a high school student at work (we are a patient-care facility, after all, so security must be tight), but we have a program in place called the Career Exploration Program under which we can bring students to learn more about biomedical research. Manasi was trained by one of our scientists and conducted a nice suite of experiments with one of our new cancer cell lines. I am still amazed that high school students can have the technical acumen and diligence to learn (and want to learn!) our cutting-edge techniques in the lab, I certainly wasn’t there yet at their age.

One day Manasi came to my office and told me she had read my postdoc paper on T cell development (already, wow!) and was hoping that she could develop an experiment like it that could be conducted on the International Space Station. Being the proactive young person, Manasi had found a contest called Genes in Space, in which students grade 7-12 could submit an experiment for the ISS. Now, there is evidence that signs of aging, such as thymus involution, are accelerated in the microgravity of space. Manasi was interested in whether the quality of T cell tolerance selection could also be affected by microgravity, as my paper showed with aging, which could increase the risk of autoimmunity for organisms that will someday experience space travel. It was an interesting thought experiment, as we discussed what could be done with the limited conditions on the ISS (no gigantic BD flow cytometer being blasted off here), and I thought that was it. Later on, after her internship semester had ended, I receive an email from Manasi, telling me she was 1 of 5 finalists out of 880 applications, and would I like to join her on a trip to the conference as she presented her project? (The answer was absolutely yes!)

Me with Genes In Space finalist and already brilliant scientist, Manasi.

There were a few Genes In Space-specific activities that I was able to attend, such as a reception at the Boeing Museum of Flight. I got to mingle with the parents, the other educators, and the judges from the biotech industry, and feel very proud and impressed by all the finalists. In addition, I had full registration to the conference, so I attended technical sessions on biology experiments in space, scientific communication, weather, and even rubbed elbows with industry scientists and former astronauts. I was blown away by the realization that things I considered to be science fiction, like future manned moon landings and trips to Mars, were in serious discussion and planning. I did not know that mouse experiments could be sent aboard the ISS (mice IN SPACE!). Some of the mundane aspects of life on Earth are shaped by our relationship with gravity, and this completely changes in space. Did you know that fire is sphere-shaped, not flame-shaped, in space? Or that brushing your teeth in microgravity is really difficult? And even still, the toilet is a design nightmare and is constantly breaking down? Given that this was a community in which nobody knew me (thankfully, my institution has name recognition), it was an excellent exercise in networking. I did a lot of chatting with random folks at my table, industry booths, or people just standing around. It was nice to be around engineers again, which I have not done so much since grad school. I also took advantage of the unscheduled time for focused work on my own grant writing—with administrative distractions minimized, I got quite a bit done!

I was so proud of Manasi’s poise and presentation of immunology research conducted in microgravity. She had developed all parts of the presentation.

I’m sure the lead-up to the finalists’ presentations were quite nerve-wracking for the students. I was so nervous for them too, this is a thing I have started to feel when my lab trainees present as well. It is not that I think they will fail, but I want them to have a good experience. Manasi had also developed her project all on her own, outside of a small handful of conversations and emails we had, so I was very curious to see what she had put together. I was so impressed with her relatable presentation, with great schematics and charming artwork, that made me really feel like we could do these experiments in space. While her experiment was not ultimately selected to be performed on the ISS, getting this far has really illustrated what an exceptional person she is. Like all of my mentees, I am excited to see where her dreams take her in the future.

P.S. Are you following The Lancaster Lab on Instagram? If not, you should! Check out the reel I made from ISSRDC!