Suture in Space: ready for phase 2

The experiment which aims to study the repair mechanisms of tissues and the healing of wounds in the absence of gravity is now ready for the second step, in which the ASAcampus Joint Laboratory will have a pivotal role: the analysis of the biological samples, which will be sent back to earth in early 2023. The first feedback is expected within the space of a year.

After reaching the International Space Station (ISS) on 26^th November last, the “Suture in Space” experiment, coordinated by the University of Florence and curated by Doctor Monica Monici, in charge of the ASAcampus Joint Laboratory – born from the partnership between ASA’s Research Division and the “Mario Serio” Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Department of the University of Florence – is now ready for the second phase.

The results of the project which aims to study the repair mechanisms of tissues and the healing of wounds in the absence of gravity will be very useful for daily life on earth as well.

“During the first phase – says Monica Monici, Scientific Head of the project chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) and financed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) – we developed some models of sutured wounds based, to our knowledge for the first time ever, on ex-vivo cultures of human tissue, skin and blood vessels. To maintain their survival and functions for a long time, we developed an in-vitro culture technique which maintains their vigour for 5 weeks. This specific technique can also be used for many applications here on Earth too in the fields of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, as well as for preliminary studies concerning the effects of medicines. All this whilst avoiding, for some tests, the use of animals”.

Once prepared, the samples were sent into Space with a distinct purpose: to help understand some aspects of the wound recovery and the tissue repair processes that studies on earth have not yet fully cleared up.