Regenerative Medicine Approaches to Address Cardiovascular Issues During Spaceflight

Abstract Purpose of Review Spaceflight exposes astronauts to unique physiological stressors, with microgravity and weightlessness significantly impacting the human body. The cardiovascular system undergoes profound alterations, including cardiac atrophy, vascular remodeling, and arrhythmias, posing risks for long-duration missions. Recent Findings With a significant shift in biomedical research towards stem cell research and their derivatives, these cells exhibit potential for modeling and mitigating human diseases while enhancing translational potential. Using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in space offers a promising avenue for personalized regenerative medicine, leveraging microgravity to enhance stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue engineering. Summary By integrating stem cell biology with space-based biotechnologies, researchers can accelerate the discovery of precision medicine approaches. Biomanufacturing in space further enables disease modeling of aging-related diseases in particular by mimicking accelerated aging phenotypes in a controlled environment. These advancements not only address astronaut health challenges but also may translate to novel treatment options for cardiovascular and degenerative diseases on Earth.