About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Materials Research in Reduced Gravity
|
| Presentation Title |
Invitro Models of cancer metastasis under microgravity |
| Author(s) |
Kalpana S. Katti, Dinesh Katti, Siva Venkata Chaitanya Panduru, Quyen Hoang, Pooyan Vahidi Pashaki |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Kalpana S. Katti |
| Abstract Scope |
A recent study evaluating mortality during space missions reports nearly 30% of the deaths resulting from cancer. The NASA Twins study indicated pre-cancer stem-cell generation from time in space that persists post-flight. As long-term human missions into space are planned, it is essential to evaluate migratory characteristics of cancers under extended periods of microgravity. We present viable tissue-engineered scaffold models to test migratory characteristics of cancer on a planned flight to ISS. Specifically, the experiments utilize tissue-engineered models of bone (for breast and prostate-cancer metastasis) and of ‘omentum’ for ovarian-cancer metastasis. The 'Omentum' is a large sheet-like fatty tissue on the surface of the intra-peritoneal organs that plays a vital role in tissue regeneration and cancer metastasis. The expression of stem-cell markers and angiogenic growth-factors explain omentum's highly regenerative and angiogenic characteristics. The experiments planned on ISS are conducted in laboratories on earth using fluid flow bioreactors, and patient-derived tissues. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Biomaterials, Composites, Nanotechnology |