University Medicine Greifswald conducts research in space for the first time
The University Medical Center Greifswald is launching its first experiment in space. The commercial space station HAVEN-1 will investigate how weightlessness affects bone formation. The mission is part of a project that also belongs to Stralsund University of Applied Sciences.
The project focuses on communication between bone cells – in particular osteocytes as sensors and osteoblasts as bone-forming cells. The aim is to better understand the mechanisms of bone resorption in microgravity. The findings are intended to benefit both astronauts and patients with osteoporosis.
The researchers rely on 3D bioprinting and artificial tissue engineering to create biological models. The experiments in space are compared with control experiments on Earth in the Micro Gravity Research Lab of the German Aerospace Center in Cologne.
Scientific Director Karlhans Endlich described the project as a milestone for university medicine and Western Pomerania. Project coordinator Dr.-Ing. Frank Schulze emphasized the interdisciplinary cooperation. The team prevailed against 18 competitors in a two-stage selection process of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the company YURI GmbH.
The commercial space station HAVEN-1 is scheduled to be launched into orbit by SpaceX in the first half of 2027.
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