The Governors of the University of Alberta
Mechanogenomic suppression of microgravity induced chondrocyte hypertrophy in bioengineered human cartilage — Space’s low gravity leads to bone and muscle loss which can compromise astronauts’ missions. Previous work showed that the knee cartilage of mice breakdown after a period in space’s low gravity. But little is known about the effect of low gravity on human cartilage. The research team will use human stem cells from adult females and males to make cartilage to study the effect of low gravity on cartilage. They will use an instrument designed by NASA to replicate low gravity. They hope their work will shed new light into osteoarthritis, a common disease in Canadians with cartilage breakdown at its core.