Kacena Lab

In collaboration with NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense, the Kacena Lab introduced innovative research 250 miles above the Earth’s surface aboard the International Space Station as part of the Rodent Research IV (RR-IV) mission. The goal of RR-IV is to determine the effectiveness of a new drug therapy developed by Kacena to enhance bone regeneration. In the weightlessness of space, researchers are able to study novel and current bone healing therapies to translate new discoveries in bone regeneration for osteoporosis, fracture healing and other bone disorders. If successful, this new drug therapy introduced through the RR-IV mission may help expedite the healing process for patients with severely damaged or injured bones.

Amid the pandemic, the lab shifted its focus slightly and diverted some of their work to COVID-19 after several studies from across the country revealed that people who died from the coronavirus had a high number of megakaryocytes built up in various organs, causing significant issues. Given the lab’s experience studying megakaryocytes, it was a good opportunity to reinvent their work. During these investigations, researchers discovered that mouse models infected with the novel coronavirus lost approximately 25% of their bone mass within two weeks of contagion. They also found mouse models with a 63% increase in osteoclasts, the cells that cause bone to break down. These changes were observed even in mice with mild and asymptomatic infections.