2019 ISSRDC Award: Development of Nanochannel Technology for Controlled Delivery of Therapeutics

Each year, the International Space Station (ISS) Research and Development (R&D) Conference, held in coordination with the ISSInternational Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the American Astronautical Society, highlights individuals who have pushed the boundaries of space-based research through the presentation of research awards. This week, we are spotlighting awardees in the category of “compelling results.” Today’s spotlight is on Dr. Alessandro Grattoni of Houston Methodist Research Institute, for compelling results in the field of biology and medicine.

Dr. Grattoni and his team leveraged the ISS National Laboratory to investigate nanofluidics and the development of technology to improve drug delivery methods. The most common treatment for muscle wasting—which affects more than half of the geriatric population—requires a daily injection, which can be burdensome on patients. In a collaboration between the Houston Methodist Research Institute, global pharmaceutical company Novartis, and Austin-based drug delivery company NanoMedical Systems, Grattoni and his team developed an implantable device to safely administer the drug over a long period of time, avoiding the need for daily injections and improving quality of life. In a rodent research investigation on the ISS National Laboratory, the team demonstrated the effectiveness of this implantable nanochannel drug delivery system in mitigating microgravity-induced muscular atrophy.