ESA astronaut Tim Peake during his 4 hour 43 minute spacewalk to replace a failed power regulator and install cabling on the ISS. Credit: ESA/NASA

Tim Peake is the first official British astronaut to walk in space. The former Army Air Corps officer has spent six months in space, after blasting off on a Russian Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station on December 15, 2016, but the spacewalk doubtless was his most gruelling test.

But what exactly did he go through, during his remarkable spell aboard the space station? Space travel leads to many changes in the human body, many of which have been investigated since Yuri Gargarin made the first manned spaceflight in 1961 and an extensive team provides guidance and preparation for astronauts before, during and after any spaceflight. But if youre planning an out-of-this-world trip, here are some of the things to expect.

The skeletal muscle system is the largest organ system of the human body. Hundreds of muscles are used for maintaining posture sitting, standing and performing a wide range of movements, with different loading conditions imposed by the forces of gravity on Earth.

Skeletal muscles have the ability to adapt to different purposes and the different loads placed on them, a quality known as plasticity. But like inactivity, space flight leads to loss of both skeletal muscle mass (atrophy) and strength.

During long spaceflights on the ISS, research found that 37 crew members experienced a decrease in mean isokinetic strength of between 8% and 17%. Men and women were similarly affected. In fact, this degradation occurs even when astronauts follow a strict exercise regime, meaning that it has profound implications for humans embarking on even longer journeys, such as to Mars. Data suggests that around 30% of muscle strength is lost after spending 110 to 237 days in microgravity.

Many parts of the cardiovascular system (including the heart) are influenced by gravity. On Earth, for example, the veins in our legs work against gravity to get blood back to the heart. Without gravity, however, the heart and blood vessels change and the longer the flight, the more severe the changes.

The size and shape of the heart, for example, changes with microgravity and the right and left ventricles decrease in mass. This may be because of a decrease in fluid volume (blood) and changes in myocardial mass. A human heart rate (number of beats per minute) is lower in space than on Earth, too. In fact, it has been found that the heart rate of individuals standing upright on the ISS is similar to their rate while lying down pre-flight on Earth. Blood pressure is also lower in space than on Earth.

The cardiac output of the heart the amount of blood pumped out of the heart each minute decreases in space, too. Without gravity, there is also a redistribution of the blood more blood stays in the legs and less blood is returned to the heart, which leads to less blood being pumped out of the heart. Muscle atrophy also contributes to reduced blood flow to the lower limbs.

This reduced blood flow to the muscles, combined with the loss of muscle mass, impacts aerobic capacity (below).

Aerobic capacity is a measure of aerobic fitness the maximum amount of oxygen that the body can use during exercise. This can be measured by VO2max and VO2peak tests. Changes to both the muscles and cardiovascular system caused by spaceflight contribute to reduced aerobic fitness.

After nine to 14 days of spaceflight, for example, research shows that aerobic capacity (VO2peak) is reduced by 20%-25%. But the trends are interesting. During longer spells in space say, five to six months after the initial reduction in aerobic capacity, the body appears to compensate and the numbers begin improving although they never return to pre-trip levels.

On Earth, the effects of gravity and mechanical loading are needed to maintain our bones. In space, this doesnt happen. Bone normally undergoes continual remodelling and two types of cells are involved: osteoblasts (these make and regulate the bone matrix) and osteoclasts (these absorb bone matrix). During spaceflight, however, the balance of these two processes is altered which leads to reduced bone mineral density. Research shows that a 3.5% loss of bone occurs after 16 to 28 weeks of spaceflight, 97% of which is in weight-bearing bones, such as the pelvis and legs.

The immune system, which protects the body against disease, is also affected. There are a number of variables which contribute to this, including radiation, microgravity, stress, isolation and alterations in the circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle of sleep and wakefulness that we follow on Earth. Also, while in space, astronauts will interact with microbes from themselves, other crew members, their food, their environment and these can alter their immune response, which may lead to challenging situations and increase the potential for infections among the crew as well as contamination of extraterrestrial sites.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Go here to see the original:
Five things that happen to your body in space - RocketSTEM

Data support novel approach to develop and manufacture a best-in-class, durable medicine for people living with hemoglobinopathies

See the article here:
Editas Medicine Announces Preclinical Data and Large-Scale Manufacturing Process for EDIT-301, in Development for the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTLA), is presenting new preclinical data in support of NTLA-5001, the company’s wholly owned Wilms’ Tumor 1 (WT1)-directed T cell receptor (TCR)-T cell therapy candidate for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, taking place virtually from December 5-8, 2020. NTLA-5001 capitalizes on how natural T cells recognize and respond to tumors. The target, WT1, is highly overexpressed in AML, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that is often fatal despite existing treatments (NIH SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Leukemia – AML). The new preclinical data being presented today highlight the faster expansion and superior function of T cells manufactured by Intellia’s proprietary approach, compared to a standard genome editing process. Specifically, NTLA-5001’s lead TCR-T cells resulted in significantly higher anti-tumor activity in mouse models of acute leukemias than that observed in mice treated with cells engineered using the standard process.

Read more:
Intellia Therapeutics Presents New Preclinical Data Supporting Its CRISPR/Cas9-Engineered TCR-T Cell Treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia at the...

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T™) therapies for cancer, today announced positive initial results from the Phase 1 UNIVERSAL study of ALLO-715 in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Data were presented at an oral session of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting. This study utilizes ALLO-647, Allogene's anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody (mAb), as a part of its differentiated lymphodepletion regimen.

Read more here:
Allogene Therapeutics Reports Positive Initial Results from Phase 1 UNIVERSAL Study of ALLO-715 AlloCAR T™ Cell Therapy in Relapsed/Refractory...

- Beta thalassemia: All seven patients were transfusion independent with 3 to 18 months of follow-up after CTX001 infusion -

Read more from the original source:
CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Present New Data for Investigational CRISPR/Cas9 Gene-Editing Therapy, CTX001™ at American Society of Hematology...

– Evidence of biologic activity observed in each dose-escalation cohort treated to date –

Go here to see the original:
Kura Oncology Presents First Clinical Data for Menin Inhibitor KO-539 at American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

Basel, 5 December 2020 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that new data from the pivotal phase III MURANO and CLL14 studies support the efficacy of fixed-duration, chemotherapy-free Venclexta®/Venclyxto® (venetoclax)-based combinations in certain people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and provide more evidence on the potential value of minimal residual disease (MRD). Data were presented at the all-virtual 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition on Saturday 5 December 2020. “These results reinforce the long-term value of fixed-duration, chemotherapy-free Venclexta/Venclyxto-based combinations in CLL, potentially offering patients a significant period of time without treatment following initial therapy,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. “These data also reflect our ongoing commitment to accelerating clinical advancements for patients by exploring the novel endpoint minimal residual disease as a potential predictor of patient outcomes.” Five-year data from the pivotal phase III MURANO trial continue to show sustained investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) with Venclexta/Venclyxto plus MabThera®/Rituxan® (rituximab). Data, presented in an oral session, showed:

See the original post here:
Roche announces new data reinforcing the long-term benefit of Venclexta/Venclyxto-based combination for people with relapsed or refractory chronic...

- 9 of 14 Patients Showed Reduction in Tumor Size, Including Two Recently Reported Complete Responses -

See the original post here:
IGM Biosciences Presents First Clinical Data from IGM-2323 in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 2020 ASH Annual Meeting

Updated data from the ALLCAR study suggests AUTO1’s potential for transformational activity in adult patients with r/r ALL

View original post here:
Autolus Therapeutics presents compelling AUTO1 data from ALLCAR Phase 1 study in Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) during the 62nd ASH Annual...

NEW YORK, Dec. 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellectis (Euronext Growth: ALCLS - Nasdaq: CLLS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing immunotherapies based on gene-edited allogeneic CAR T-cells (UCART), announced preliminary results from Cellectis’ dose escalation Phase 1 BALLI-01 study of UCART22 product candidate in relapsed/refractory B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. This is the first publicly released data from Cellectis’ BALLI-01 clinical trial.

Read more from the original source:
Cellectis Reports Preliminary Results from its Phase 1 BALLI-01 Study of UCART22 in R/R Adult B-ALL at American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual...

~Five presentations related to Kiadis’ K-NK cell therapy platform will be presented

Original post:
Kiadis announces new data at the 2020 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNST) today announced that two oral presentations and three posters relating to the Phase 2 MANIFEST and the Phase 3 MANIFEST-2 clinical trials of CPI-0610 in myelofibrosis (MF) were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition. The preliminary data in these presentations are based on a data cutoff of September 29, 2020, and reflect an analysis of clinical activity in 63 first-line (1L) and 94 second-line (2L) or later patients.

See the original post:
Constellation Pharmaceuticals Provides Update of MANIFEST Study for CPI-0610 at ASH Meeting

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T™) therapies for cancer, today announced preclinical findings of ALLO-316, an AlloCAR T™ therapy targeting CD70, in models of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Data were presented in a poster session today at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

See more here:
Allogene Therapeutics Presents Preclinical Data on ALLO-316 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia at the 62nd Meeting of the American Society of Hematology

MRD assessment with clonoSEQ improves outcomes both for patients and the healthcare system, as patients with undetectable MRD may be able to discontinue active treatment MRD assessment with clonoSEQ improves outcomes both for patients and the healthcare system, as patients with undetectable MRD may be able to discontinue active treatment

View original post here:
Adaptive Biotechnologies Announces New Clinical Data Demonstrating Impact of clonoSEQ® Assay on Patients with Blood Cancers at the 62nd ASH Annual...

—Data presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting—

Read more here:
BioCryst’s Oral Factor D Inhibitor (BCX9930) Shows High Potency and Specificity for Alternative Pathway of Complement

Updated interim data from CPI-818’s phase 1/1b clinical trial provide evidence supporting its potential as a treatment for T cell lymphomas

View original post here:
Corvus Presents New Data on its Investigational ITK Inhibitor CPI-818 at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition

BRISBANE, Calif. and ST. LOUIS, Dec. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arch Oncology, Inc., a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focused on the discovery and development of anti-CD47 antibody therapies, today announced the presentation of new preclinical data on AO-176 at the ASH Annual Meeting 2020. AO-176 is an anti-CD47 antibody with a potential best-in-class profile that works by blocking the “don’t eat me” signal and also by directly killing tumor cells, with preferential binding to tumor versus normal cells. Currently, AO-176 is being evaluated in Phase 1/2 clinical trials for the treatment of patients with select solid tumors and multiple myeloma, both as monotherapy and in combination with standard therapies.

Read this article:
Arch Oncology Presents New Preclinical Data on Highly Differentiated Anti-CD47 Antibody AO-176 at ASH 2020

Two Inclacumab Pivotal Phase 3 Clinical Trials Expected to Begin in First Half of 2021

Continued here:
GBT Presents Data on New Sickle Cell Disease Pipeline Therapies with Best-in-Class Potential – Inclacumab and GBT021601

Final 72-Week Analyses of Phase 3 HOPE Study Demonstrate Durable Improvements in Hemoglobin Levels and Significant Improvements in Overall Health Status

Go here to see the original:
GBT Presents New Data on the Long-Term and Real-World Use of Oxbryta® (voxelotor) Tablets in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease at 62nd ASH Annual...

— Early multi-center results indicate that Orca-T, a novel approach to HSCT, improves time-to-engraftment, markedly reduces the incidence and severity of GvHD, and significantly improved GRFS at 1 year —

Follow this link:
First Clinical Data from Ongoing Orca-T Trial Shows Significantly Improved 12-Month Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD)-Free and Relapse-Free Survival...