Spines in Space

It is well established that spaceflight is detrimental to musculoskeletal health as evidenced by the host of health problems astronauts experience upon coming back to Earth. However, the exact mechanism by which spaceflight harms spine health is not well elucidated. Additionally, which spaceflight accumulated damages are reversible upon mission completion and which are irreversible is not known.

Work from our lab currently focuses on elucidating the impact of mechanical unloading in accelerated spine degeneration found in astronauts. Specifically, we are investigating the effects of spaceflight on the spine through collaborations with organizations like NASA’s Bone and Signaling Lab, Harvard Medical School, and University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering. We are also leveraging ground-based analogs in addition to flight specimens to create a more complete picture of the impact of spaceflight on spine health . We particularly focus on the effect of spaceflight on the disc, cartilage endplate, and vertebrae from a biochemical, mechanical, and morphological perspective.

In addition to traditional methods of tissue evaluation, we are also investigating quantitative MRI techniques to noninvasively assess the biochemical health of the spine. qMRI techniques have major promise to not only assess the health of astronauts, but also have major translation to be used for the general population on Earth.