In two firsts, kidney and liver tissues have been successfully printed on the ISS while portable x-rays were taken during a SpaceX flight.
As spaceflight missions increase in duration and distance, so too does the risk to astronauts' health. With medical emergencies potentially requiring treatment in orbit, scientists are developing advanced in-space technologies to deal with such events.
US-based biotech and medical device firm Auxilium Biotechnologies has developed a bioprinter capable of printing both living tissue cells and implantable medical products. During a recent mission, the platform was used to manufacture kidney, liver and cartilage tissues as well as 28 nerve repair implants aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The tissues and implants recently returned to Earth on Mission AXLM-3, which flew on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-34.
Jacob Koffler, CEO of Auxilium, said: “This mission represents a significant milestone for both Auxilium and the future of space biomanufacturing...