Research from UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry is orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station as part of an innovative project studying how to preserve bone health in space.
The project, known as VIBES — Vibration-Induced Bone Exercise Stimulation — will examine whether low-intensity vibration can help counteract the aging-like bone loss associated with microgravity.
The study uses 3D-printed tissue-engineered bone marrow analogs designed to model the effects of aging and bone loss in space. Researchers aim to better understand whether low-intensity mechanical vibration can serve as a countermeasure to preserve bone tissue during extended spaceflight.
Some samples aboard the International Space Station will receive low-intensity vibration twice daily during the 21-day mission, while others will serve as non-stimulated controls for comparison.
Launched May 15 aboard SpaceX’s CRS-34 resupply mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the experiment will operate aboard the International Space Station for 21 days using Space Tango’s automated bioreactor system.
Led by Gunes Uzer, PhD, of Boise State University’s College of Engineering, the $1.2 million National Science Foundation-funded project includes researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students from multiple institutions, including Rice University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Representing the School of Dentistry on the interdisciplinary research team are Mary C. “Cindy” Farach-Carson, PhD, professor and associate dean for research, and Danielle Wu, PhD, assistant professor, from the Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences.
“This project represents an exciting opportunity to study bone biology in a completely unique environment,” Farach-Carson said. “The findings could have important implications not only for astronauts during long-duration missions, including missions to Mars or permanent stations on the moon, but also for aging populations and individuals experiencing bone loss here on Earth.”
Microgravity conditions in space can accelerate bone deterioration, making astronauts more susceptible to fractures and other skeletal complications. Researchers hope the study will provide insights into strategies that may reduce those effects and contribute to future treatments for osteoporosis and age-related bone disease.
Wu said the collaboration reflects the project’s interdisciplinary nature.
“Participating in a project aboard the International Space Station underscores how collaboration among engineers, biomedical scientists, and biologists drives transformative discovery, all while preparing the next generation of researchers to work seamlessly across disciplines to solve complex health challenges,” Wu said.
The VIBES mission brings together expertise in tissue engineering, biomechanics, space biology, and regenerative medicine, with the goal of advancing human health in space and on Earth.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft launched at 5:05 p.m. CT on May 15. After an approximately 36-hour flight, Dragon autonomously docked with the International Space Station on May 17.