InspireME Seminar - Sean Howard, Ph. D. (Boise State University)

Mission V.I.B.E.S.: The process of sending a science payload to space

Aged individuals and astronauts experience bone loss despite rigorous physical activity. Bone mechanoresponse is partly regulated by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that respond to mechanical challenges. To investigate if microgravity affects the mechanoresponse of MSCs in bone, we developed 3D Bone Marrow Analogs (BMAs) to be maintained in hardware aboard the International Space Station (ISS). To create a BMA model, we generated two idealized 3D trabecular lattices mimicking young (25%) or old (13%) trabecular bone volumes and filled them with hydrogel-encapsulated primary bone marrow MSCs to mimic bone marrow. These BMAs were then treated with low-intensity vibrations (LIV) to determine if these mechanical signals can overcome the loss of gravity in space to stimulate osteogenesis. A scheduled 21-day experiment aboard the ISS (Spx34 mission, May 2026) includes two CubeLab units with or without the LIV bioreactor. BMAs will receive 0.7 g, 90 Hz LIV twice daily for 20 minutes, separated by a 2-hour rest period, and compared to non-LIV and ground controls under osteogenic differentiation media. BMAs from each group will be analyzed for osteogenic differentiation using RNA-seq and immunostaining. This experiment will determine whether MSCs maintain a mechanoresponse during a 21-day spaceflight and provide a platform for studying bone marrow mechanobiology and bone-related diseases aboard the ISS.

The InspireME Series explores topics of interest in Mechanical Engineering for the Boise State community.