Israeli Students’ Space Research on Alzheimer’s Published in Top Journal

Six former Israeli high school students from Shehakim School in Nahariya have achieved a remarkable feat by having their research on the effects of space travel on neurodegenerative diseases published in a leading scientific journal. This study, which could have significant implications for long-term space missions and treatments for disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, was conducted both on Earth and aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Collaboration and Research

The research was a collaborative effort involving the students, researchers from the University of Haifa, and Oranim College. The project began four years ago when the students, then in ninth grade, participated in a competition to launch a scientific experiment to the ISS. Under the guidance of their teacher, Tatiana Itkin, they proposed using microscopic worms called nematodes (C. elegans) to study the effects of space travel on neurodegenerative diseases.

Why Nematodes?

Nematodes were chosen for their unique biological characteristics, such as their transparency and ability to survive for six months without food, making them ideal for space experiments. The students genetically engineered nematodes to develop a condition similar to Huntington’s disease, a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain.

Findings and Implications

The students monitored the development of protein bodies in nematodes on Earth and those sent to space. They found significant differences between the space-traveling nematodes and those that remained on Earth. However, researchers stressed that repeated trials are necessary to confirm the hypothesis linking space living conditions with the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Amir Sapir from Haifa University highlighted the extraordinary achievement of these students, noting that it sets a precedent for future research collaborations involving young scientists. Prof. Yoram Gershman of Oranim College and Haifa University emphasized the need for further studies due to the high cost of space experiments.

If a link between space living and the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases is confirmed, it could profoundly impact long-term space missions and open new avenues for treatment. Teacher Tatiana Itkin suggested that space travel could even become part of medical treatment in the future.