Tissue repair and regeneration on Earth and in Space.
It is spelled WHISPER but it is read as “Wound Healing in Space: problems and perspectives for tissues regeneration and engineering”, the project created and funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), where ASAcampus is also at the forefront, in its role as a Joint Laboratory with the University of Florence. Its task is to coordinate the research that aims to find tangible solutions for wound management and tissue regeneration on Earth and in Space.
Some results of the project were presented last June at the ESA-ESTEC headquarters in Noordwijk, in the Netherlands, when a second meeting was held between those taking part in the study, to share their findings. The meeting was also attended by the companies involved in the project. These companies make their technologies and expertise available and work with the academic partners to speed up technology transfer and the transition from research to applications. ASA is among these companies, providing some laser sources to evaluate their effectiveness and possible applications in the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds.
The outcomes of projects like this pave the way for future applications not only in Space, but also on Earth. In fact, WHISPER has been funded by the ESA as part of the “SciSpacE Microgravity Application Promotion Programme”, the aim of which is to:
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optimise physical and biological processes implemented on Earth;
- generate data and material samples relevant for industrial research and development;
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study Space-related physiological changes significant for long Space flight, which could also be significant for clinical applications on Earth.
“Projects like WHISPER” aim to lead to technology transfer and tangible benefits also for those not working in Space, where situations are obviously extreme. The results of the WHISPER project contribute to the understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms in the wound healing and biological tissue regeneration process. Moreover, the project also involves testing therapeutic strategies based on both biochemical and biophysical factors. The results obtained from this research consolidate ASA’s desire to continue along this path. ASAcampus, the Joint Laboratory between the Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences of the University of Florence and ASA’s Research Division, has already taken part in several projects of the European and Italian Space Agencies. However, WHISPER is the first project of the European Space Agency in which ASA is taking part as a company and, given the validity of the research and the players involved, we hope to be able to further consolidate our role in this type of initiatives”, confirms Damiano Guidolin, ASA General Manager.
If continuity is one of the company's targets, the development of specific solutions dictated by requirements set out for applications in extreme environments, such as Space, is also among its goals.
“There is no doubt that these kinds of studies are highly inspiring as they allow us to create new development paths. These include, for example, designing devices that are capable of positioning themselves in unconventional spaces, like those found when working in extreme environments. This means reviewing not only their dimensions, but also managing new safety methods that meet the special requirements of certain environments. A challenge for our entire team, which will be required to find increasingly high-performance solutions”, concludes Guidolin.
