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Led by scientists from the University of Nottingham and the University of Exeter, with hardware designed by Oxford-based Kayser Space, the research team aims to determine the causes of muscle changes during spaceflight and find ways to mitigate these biological changes.
Spaceflight is an extreme environment that causes many negative changes to the body, with astronauts losing up to 40 percent of their muscle after six months in space.
Based on these changes, spaceflight is regarded as an excellent model to enhance understanding of ageing, inactivity and certain clinical conditions on different body systems.
Studying changes in muscle that occur with spaceflight could lead to more effective therapies and new treatments for age-associate muscle loss and muscular dystrophies.
Worms on a Mission to Research Muscle Loss in Space
On Thursday, 3rd June, hundreds of tiny worms are being flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an experiment to understand more about human muscle loss and how to prevent it.
Funded by the UK Space Agency, a team of scientists led by scientists from Nottingham and Exeter University, with hardware designed by Oxford-based Kayser Space, aims to determine the causes of muscle changes during spaceflight and find ways to mitigate these biological changes.
Discovering more about muscle loss in space will expand our understanding of how ageing affects our muscles; this could lead to more effective therapies and new treatments for muscular dystrophies here on Earth.
Thousands of tiny worms will be launched into space this week (3 June) to help scientists to understand more about muscle loss and how to prevent it. Led.
WiredGov Newswire (news from other organisations)
UK Space Agency - Worms on a mission to research muscle loss in space
Today (Thursday 3rd June), hundreds of tiny worms are being flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an experiment to understand more about human muscle loss and how to prevent it.
Funded by the UK Space Agency, a team of scientists led by scientists from Nottingham and Exeter University, with hardware designed by Oxford-based Kayser Space, aims to determine the causes of muscle changes during spaceflight and find ways to mitigate these biological changes.
Discovering more about muscle loss in space will expand our understanding of how ageing affects our muscles; this could lead to more effective therapies and new treatments for muscular dystrophies here on Earth.