A researcher at NOSM University (Northern Ontario School of Medicine) has been awarded a $150,000 grant to study the effects of space travel on the human body.
The grant was awarded to NOSM professor Dr. David MacLean from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
The grant will be applied over two years, allowing MacLean to research what happens to the human body from such things as cosmic radiation and microgravity. The project will also seek to gain insights into counteracting associated health risks, said the NOSM news release.
The project is titled “Investigating the role of a multi-targeted dietary supplement on attenuating radiation and microgravity-induced tissue damage.” It will study how the combined effects of radiation and microgravity interact and damage healthy tissue using a research model that simulates space flight, NOSM said.
MacLean will study whether a dietary supplement can counteract the damaging effects of space travel and protect the body’s tissues, NOSM said.
“The study will provide a clearer understanding of how the body is affected by space travel and begin exploring meaningful countermeasures,” MacLean said.
It is expected the study will provide the framework for future studies on human tissue and function in a multi-stressor environment. The models, tissues, and physiological systems being studied align directly with primary areas of concern set out by the CSA, said NOSM. These include musculoskeletal, metabolic, radiation, and microgravity which are all heavily investigated in this study.
The science that is learned in the research could save lives here on Earth, MacLean said.
“Findings from this project could translate to numerous earth-based applications and contribute to improving health care for Canadians,” MacLean said.
Potential earth-based applications include cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment or situations where individuals must undergo long durations of immobilization, such as prescribed bed rest.
