Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31260: Can Your Lungs Fight Germs in Space? Exploring Lung Host Defense

The human body is a powerful defense machine, but what happens when it's thrown into the strange world of microgravity? The Lung Host Defense in Microgravity experiment, led by Dr. George Worthen, aims to find out how well our lungs can defend against infections in space.

Conducted during Expeditions 59 and 60, this NASA-sponsored experiment was a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Space Tango. The study focused on how lung cells—especially immune cells—respond to bacterial invaders when exposed to microgravity.

Microgravity alters how fluids move and how cells behave. This can affect how lung cells recognize and respond to germs. Researchers grew lung cells on the ISS and introduced bacteria to simulate infections. They then studied the cells’ responses and compared them with Earth-based controls.

The insights gained could help develop new treatments for lung infections both in space and on Earth, especially for patients with compromised immune systems. Understanding immune behavior in space also helps design better safeguards for astronauts on long-term missions.

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