Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/662005
t m c » p u l s e | a p r i l 2 0 1 6 18 18 "Many of the effects of being in space on astronauts—bone loss, changes in balance and decreases in immune function—look a lot like aging on Earth, even though the causes are different," echoed Julie Robinson, Ph.D., chief scientist for the International Space Station Program. "Astronauts are some of the healthiest people out there. So when we look at the genes that are involved in the effects in space, we can gain insights into the func- tions of those genes and systems that can be valuable for finding innovative ways to treat disease back here on Earth." The results could have wide- spread value in the medical world, since many of the diseases and conditions that most often plague humans have origins in the pas- sage of time. Even more, telomere research has promising applications in cancer research, with studies showing that telomere dysfunction is common in tumor development and that malignant cells experience seemingly unlimited telomere extension capabilities. As Charles previously explained, anything NASA and the research institutions learn about the human body in preparation for years-long space travel will inevitably prove useful to medicine here on Earth, because the human body is still the human body, wherever it may be. Furthermore, the process of the research itself is expected to have groundbreaking implications in the medical field and beyond. Its design is revolutionary in breadth and scope, not only because of the vari- ables (identical twins and space), but also because of the integrated nature of the studies and the kind of data being collected. "There have been very few integrated omics studies where you look at the genome, transcrip- tome, proteome, metabolome and microbiome together, and nobody has ever done this kind of study with twins before," said Graham Scott. "The Twins Study will create a blueprint or framework for how you might approach these kinds of really ambitious integrated omics studies moving forward." In addition, the detailed evalua- tion of Mark and Scott's individual genomes harks to the rapidly grow- ing field of personalized medicine, also known as precision medicine, in which diagnosis and treatment is tailored to the individual based on molecular-level analysis and genetic makeup. The researchers will be studying the brothers in such detail that both were asked to meet on multiple occasions with genetic counselors from Baylor to discuss the ethical implications of knowing so much about their DNA. aging, something that will be neces- sary to understand before sending a crewed mission to Mars, but that may also provide invaluable insight into how we view and subsequently treat issues related to aging here on earth. "Space seems to accelerate, at least with some of our body's sys- tems, the effects that we would see when somebody ages," explained Graham Scott, Ph.D., vice president, chief scientist and institute asso- ciate director for NSBRI and an associate professor within Baylor College of Medicine's Center for Space Medicine and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. "So in addition to it being a good model for stress in general, spaceflight may also be an analogy for aging. In ref- erence to our study of the telomeres, we're going to be gathering data to see if Scott's telomeres are shorten- ing more rapidly than his brother's."