Space Medicine

The space medicine group comprises a multi-disciplinary team to investigate the deleterious effects of space environment on human body. We use in-vitro and in-vivo models to dissect the mechanisms governing the pathological processes in conditions mimicking space-like environment. 

Our major aim in this research group is to understand the impact of spaceflight's environment on human body and find out ways to prevent and/or minimize those adverse effects.

The specific objectives are:

1. Conduct high quality research of applied value on the effect of microgravity of the space environments as well as in long bed rest in elderly patients on several aspects of human organs system. Those changes will be tested in animal and human models using genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and physiological approaches
2. Build capacity by providing students an opportunity to undertake concentrated studies in the field of space medicine
3. Enhance cooperation and collaboration among researchers, physicians, health professions, astronauts, and space workers
4. Develop and coordinate academic training programs in space medicine
5. Enhance the reputation of the University of Sharjah by conducting high quality research and collaborating with active research groups within the UAE and internationally

1. Develop novel bioactive molecule(s) from oral and gut microbiota in HU mice that kept under microgravity environment to prevent and countermeasure several microgravity related disorders.
2. Microgravity level measurements - Experimental set up and measurement device selection for microgravity level measurements.
3. A: CFD analysis - Modelling and Simulation of blood flow in Microgravity.
   
   B: Finite Element Analysis - Modeling and simulation of arteries and shear stress in microgravity.
4. Bioassay-guided testing of the identified microbiome-derived molecule(s) to mitigate the abnormalities of the blood brain barrier (BBB) under microgravity environment.
5. Determine the beneficial effects of the identified microbiome-derived molecule(s) in preventing mice periodontal inflammation (i.e. induced periodontitis) and its adverse consequences
6. Assess the vascular endothelial (dys)function and muscle mass and strength of the crewmembers in the 8-month analog mission, before the confinement in the analog mission starts, as well as during recovery after the 8-month analog mission using non-invasive clinical diagnostic methods.
7. Measure markers of oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as analyze the transcriptomic, targeted genomics and circulatory miRNAs basis of endothelial dysfunction and muscle health in the saliva and serum samples from the crewmembers in the 8-month analog mission before, during and after the analog mission.

• Prof. Nandu Goswami
• Dr. Saba Alheialy
• Dr. Alex Kunstner
• Prof. Saleh Ibrahim
• Prof. Christina Sina

• ''Mesenchymal Stem Cells transplant as an intervention to ameliorate disuse-induced muscle atrophy in hindlimb unloaded mice'' (AED: 120,000 by the University of Sharjah).
• ''Delineating the effects of stress induced by confinement and isolation on circulatory and skeletal muscle function of crewmembers in 8-month Analog mission (SIRIUS project) measuring clinical, genomics, transcriptomic, and proteomics parameters'' (AED 540,437 by Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai)
• ''Elucidating the impact(s) of spaceflight on circulatory vascular function: clinical, genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics parameters.'' (AED 540,437 by Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai)