NASA initiates out-of-this-world drug discovery

Astronauts on drugs? With one member of the EPM editorial team having a particular fondness for Tim Peake, we were particularly interested to read about events taking place on the International Space Station (ISS)

It’s one thing keeping abreast of the latest developments in the pharmaceutical sector on earth so to read that researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have come up with idea of launching fungi into space to create new medicine, is incredibly exciting.

As I’m writing this, the fungi should be on their way into orbit, the idea being that under pressure changes can be triggered which can lead to the production of drugs such as penicillin. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), some types of fungi produce molecules called secondary metabolites which can be used to make pharmaceuticals. Penicillin and lovastatin for lowering cholesterol, are two examples of secondary metabolites.

“The stressful environment of the International Space Station (ISS) could trigger changes in physiological responses (such as gene expression) and metabolism of a well-studied fungus called Aspergillus nidulans,” said Clay Wang, a professor of pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences and chemistry at the USC School of Pharmacy.

"We've done extensive genetic analysis of this fungus and found that it could potentially produce 40 different types of drugs. The organism is known to produce osteoporosis drugs, which is very important from an astronaut's perspective because we know that in space travel, astronauts experience bone loss,” he revealed.

This is an amazing project. Drug discovery in space is a vital step forward for the protection of astronauts and keeping them healthy on the ISS. It also allows space exploration to increase its boundaries safe in the knowledge that astronauts can be kept well should the need arise. However, the breakthroughs aren’t simply confined to space. According to USC scientists, based on current, Earth-based research molecules from Aspergillus nidulans could be used to fight cancer and Alzheimer's. It’s inspiring stuff and highlights just how far drug development has come and will go.