ISS: Immunomodulating Cartilage Tissue Constructs for Space and Terrestrial Applications

Cartilage damage is a common and difficult-to-treat condition that affects millions of people, especially those with arthritis, injuries, or chronic inflammation. Cartilage does not heal easily, and these challenges are made worse in environments such as space, where the absence of gravity weakens the musculoskeletal system. This project aims to engineer new cartilage tissue that can survive and function even under difficult conditions like inflammation or low-gravity environments. Using advanced nanotechnology, this project looks to realize a “smart” tissue that not only promotes healthy cartilage growth but also actively controls immune responses that could damage the tissue. This work aligns well with the National Science Foundation’s mission by promoting the progress of bioengineering, biomechanical and materials sciences. The outcomes could benefit people on Earth who require tissue-engineered cartilage, as well as astronauts experiencing tissue degeneration during long-term missions. Beyond scientific research, this project will provide hands-on training for undergraduate and graduate students and offer public outreach programs to high schools and broader communities. By making scientific progress accessible and impactful, this research intends to serve the national interest in science, education, and innovation. This project looks to develop immunomodulatory cartilage constructs that combine Janus base nanomatrix scaffolds with Janus base nanoparticles to promote chondrogenesis under inflammatory conditions. Unlike conventional cartilage engineering approaches that assume healthy environments, this project targets diseased and immune-activated contexts using human mesenchymal stem cells. Moreover, genetically encoded biosensors will be used to monitor inflammatory signaling and tissue response in real time. The research will test the constructs in both terrestrial and spaceflight conditions, allowing for the investigation of biomechanical and immunological interactions under mechanical unloading. By focusing on immune-cell crosstalk and microgravity effects, this study seeks to advance fundamental knowledge in mechanobiology and biomechanics. The findings could enable future scaffold designs for regenerative engineering and biomanufacturing platforms. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.