Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31589: From Classroom to Cosmos: Studying Protein Aggregation in Space with Loomis Chaffee

Proteins are the workhorses of the cell, and understanding how they behave is key to tackling diseases like Alzheimer’s. The Loomis Chaffee School took this challenge into orbit through their NanoRacks experiment exploring the effects of microgravity on protein aggregation.

By launching this high school-driven experiment aboard ISS Expeditions 39/40 and 41/42, students explored whether gravity plays a crucial role in how proteins cluster—a process that’s hard to replicate on Earth. In microgravity, proteins behave differently, which gives scientists a clearer look at their structural tendencies.

This student-led study gained tremendous support from both the Loomis faculty and the Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology. Their collaborative approach turned theoretical biology into applied research. Observing protein changes in orbit helps refine our understanding of disease progression and drug development.

It also teaches students resilience, precision, and the scientific method through hands-on engagement in a real space experiment. These lessons stay with them far longer than any classroom lecture ever could.

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