In the News
Links to recent news stories about Astrogenetix activities
Space shuttle may have planted seed for MRSA, salmonella vaccines
ZDNet Health - Denise Amrich - July 21, 2011
There’s more to celebrate than the bittersweet end of an era. There may be new hope of vaccines for both salmonella and MRSA.
Space station research ramps up as shuttles return to Earth
Washington Post - Christian Torres - July 4, 2011
The lab will house projects by companies, universities and government agencies. The National Institutes of Health, for example, will conduct research on immune cell function, the Defense Department will study solar cells for satellites and biotech company Astrogenetix will investigate vaccines.
With shuttle program ending, it's time to see what space station can do
Orlnado Sentinel - Scott Powers - July 4, 2011
If the American public can't get excited over research breakthroughs in salmonella vaccines, how microgravity affects the human immune system and cosmic-particles analysis, this could be a difficult decade for supporters of NASA's manned spaceflight program.
6 Coolest Space Shuttle Science Experiments
Space.com - Mike Wall - July 1, 2011
The biotech firm Astrogenetix worked with NASA to conduct and extend this research, and the company recently developed a Salmonella vaccine based on it. Astrogenetix is also performing space-based studies of other pathogens, such as dangerous methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, with the aim of finding better treatments down the road.
How The Shuttle Helped Salmonella, MRSA Research
HealthyState.org - Kimberly Vlach - June 30, 2011
Although the program is being retired, scientific experiments will continue in space aboard the International Space Station, which serves as a unique platform for cutting-edge research for private sector biotech firms. One such group, Astrogenetix, has sent salmonella and MRSA bacteria into space twelve times over the last three years with the goal of finding vaccines.
Endeavour Launch with Research Payload is Milestone in VA-NASA Partnership
Department of Veterans Affairs - May 16, 2011
Today’s launch of the Endeavour, with its research payload for two new vaccines aboard, marked yet another milestone in VA’s longstanding collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Space Experiments May Lead to Vaccines
WFME - Euna Lhee - May 16, 2011
The shuttle's crew will be conducting a series of experiments during their time at the International Space Station. They hope the research may one day lead to vaccines to protect against food poisoning and a deadly bacterial infection....
UAE looks to research lab in sky
The National - Erin Conroy - April 10, 2011
An American biotech company, Astrotech, is the only corporate venture using manned in-orbit labs for vaccine development, doing so onboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Targets against MRSA in microgravity
News Medical - Feb. 25, 2011
NASA astronauts onboard Space Shuttle Discovery's final mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will carry out the eleventh scientific payload for Astrogenetix, a commercial biotech company based out of Austin, Texas. ...
Partners wanted to run research lab in space
Nature - Dec. 1, 2010
...a completed ISS with a six-person crew can support longer-term studies that require more care and attention than would have been practical in the past. This increased scope is "amazing" says Jeanne Becker, chief science officer at the biotechnology company Astrogenetix in Austin, Texas, and a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Is the International Space Station Worth $100 Billion?
Space.com - Nov. 1, 2010
In 2008, NASA scientists reported that salmonella bacteria grew more infectious in space. A company called Astrogenetix is developing a salmonella vaccine based on the finding. Although the bacteria were grown on board the shuttle, not the space station, Ruttley said previous stages of the project did require the station....
Experiment to test virulence of nasty bacteria in microgravity
PHYSORG.com - Oct. 27, 2010
NASA's space shuttle Discovery will make its swan song flight Nov. 1 carrying two University of Colorado at Boulder-built biomedical payload devices, including one to help scientists better understand changes in the virulence of nasty bacteria in the low gravity of space as a way to help researchers prevent or control infectious diseases....
Drug Development in Microgravity Research Conducted Aboard Atlantis’ Last Mission
BiotechDaily International - June 23, 2010
Space Shuttle Atlantis returned from the International Space Station (ISS), landing at the Kennedy Space Center May 26, 2010, with the 10th scientific payload for a commercial biotech company conducting drug development research.......
Space Shuttle Atlantis returns from International Space Station with tenth scientific payload for Astrogenetix
News Medical - May 27, 2010
Space Shuttle Atlantis returned from the International Space Station (ISS) landing at the Kennedy Space Center this morning with the tenth scientific payload for Astrogenetix, a commercial biotech company based out of Austin, Texas....
Astronauts Search for Vaccine Targets in Microgravity
Drug Discovery & Development - April 08, 2010
Astronauts on board Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-131) activated an experiment this morning as part of the ninth scientific payload for Astrogenetix, an Austin, Texas-based commercial biotech company......
Remarks by NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr.
NASA - speech - Mar. 16, 2010 [PDF 32KB]
Right now is where the rubber starts hitting the road. In addition to NASA scientists, our international partners, other government agencies, academia, and industry are all poised to begin making use of the station’s new research capabilities. Already we’ve gleaned information about Salmonella that has led to a candidate vaccine with human trials soon to begin.....
Remarks by NASA Deputy Administrator Lori B. Garver
NASA - speech - Mar. 10, 2010 [PDF 26KB]
The President increases funding for ISS utilization by $2 billion over 5 years....We have private partners already engaged in market-driven applications research for areas as diverse as vaccines & therapeutics to battle salmonella and staph pathogens...
Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics
R&D - Paul Livingstone - Mar. 5, 2010 [PDF 233KB]
Tom Pickens, CEO of Astrogenetix, a biotech startup out of Texas, took note of successes made in this area of R&D and decided to try capitalizing on the knowledge that cell cultures also had the same predilection for rapid growth when unencumbered by terrestrial hindrances like gravity or convection......
Astrogenetix Continues MRSA Vaccine Development Onboard Endeavor
International Business Times - Feb. 08, 2010 [PDF]
Space Shuttle Endeavor lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center this morning, carrying on board the eighth scientific payload for Astrogenetix, a commercial biotech company created to use microgravity to develop the foundation of new medicines.....
Company works medical magic in orbit
KXAN - Jim Swift - Nov. 19, 2009 [PDF 248KB]
Imagine a vaccine that could protect you against serious, even deadly diseases, a vaccine that does not yet exist. Where might you look for something like that coming down the road? Try up....
Vaccine Research To Continue On Atlantis Mission
Space Daily - Nov. 17, 2009 [PDF 198KB]
For the fourth time this year, NASA's Shuttle fleet is carrying a series of experiments being conducted by Austin-based Astrogenetix, a commercial biotech company created to use microgravity .....
Texas firm launches experiments to space
FierceVaccines - Nov. 17, 2009 [PDF 66KB]
A NASA space shuttle is carrying a series of experiments being conducted by Astrogenetix to discover vaccines against a number of diseases--including those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus microbes....
BioServe puts butterflies aboard shuttle to space station in educational mission
The Denver Post - Nov. 17, 2009 [PDF 168KB]
Putting bugs into space is nothing new for the scientists at BioServe Space Technologies in Boulder...
Astrotech doing more research in space
Austin Business Journal - Nov. 16, 2009 [PDF 79KB]
Austin-based Astrotech Corp. (Nasdaq: ASTC) is conducting vaccine research on the space shuttle Atlantis’ November flight ...
Space station peril?
CNN - John Zarrella - Oct. 11, 2009 [PDF 44KB]
After 11 years and $44 billion, the international space station may be scuttled. CNN's John Zarrella reports. ...
Space-age biotech company lands in Austin
Austin American Statesman - Brian Gaar - Sept. 25, 2009
The satellite and space research company Astrotech Corp. officially splashed down in Austin this week, with a private dinner for business leaders Monday night and a Wednesday night reception ...
The real work out there can begin
HOUSTON CHRONICLE - Eric Berger - Sept. 21, 2009
After 15 years of construction, narrow congressional votes, delays and, yes, cost overruns, the $100 billion international space station finally appears ready for prime time. ...
Giant crystals and spherical flames: science in microgravity
New Scientist
The International Space Station may still be under construction, but microgravity research has been under way for decades. We round up some of the coolest experiments so far ...
Can vaccine breakthrough help cure NASA's ills?
Spaceflight Now - Craig Covault - Sep 7, 2009 [PDF 332KB]
A vaccine to protect people against Salmonella, a deadly bacteria that often contaminates food processing operations, is headed for human testing following commercial development in zero gravity ...
Discovery will give new vaccine a shot
Florida Today - Patrick Peterson - Aug 31, 2009
It is Astrogenetix's seventh experiment launched aboard a shuttle by the first commercial space company to use microgravity to search for vaccines. ...
For Austin biotech company, space is a great place for vaccine
Austin American-Statesman - Lori Hawkins - Aug 25, 2009 [PDF 77KB]
Astrogenetix Inc. said it has flown on five shuttle missions and has an agreement with NASA for all future shuttle trips. The company was planning to send ...
Space station science revs up
msnbc.com - Alan Boyle - Aug 25, 2009
"I think it would really cut us off short if the station ended in six years," said Jeanne Becker, chief science officer for Texas-based Astrogenetix. ...
Astrogenetix Works With NASA To Use Microgravity To Develop New Vaccines
Medical News Today (press release) - Aug 25, 2009
Astrogenetix has worked closely with NASA to fully utilize the International Space Station, one of NASA's primary priorities. The Company has flown on five ...
Space Shuttle Discovery to Carry Vaccine Research
PharmaLive.com (press release) - Aug 25, 2009
Astrogenetix has worked closely with NASA to fully utilize the International Space Station, one of NASA's primary priorities. The Company has flown on five ...
Austin Company Conducting Vaccine Research on Space Shuttle
Austinist - Jeff Beckham - Aug 25, 2009
Astrogenetix has been working with NASA for more than a year, doing vaccine research in hopes of developing new medicines. The microgravity of space allows ...
Research to be conducted on bacterial microbes in space
News-Medical.net - Aug 24, 2009
Astrogenetix has worked closely with NASA to fully utilize the International Space Station, one of NASA's primary priorities. The Company has flown on five ...
Space Shuttle Discovery to Carry Vaccine Research
FOXBusiness - Aug 24, 2009
Astrogenetix has worked closely with NASA to fully utilize the International Space Station, one of NASA's primary priorities. The Company has flown on five ...
Space Shuttle Discovery to Carry Vaccine Research
Genetic Engineering News (press release) - Aug 24, 2009
Astrogenetix has worked closely with NASA to fully utilize the International Space Station, one of NASA's primary priorities. The Company has flown on five ...
Space experiments may lead to Salmonella vaccine
EarthSky - June 23, 2009 [MP3 7.6MB]
That’s Jeanne Becker of Astrogenetix, Inc. She’s a medical researcher and an expert on the impact of reduced gravity on human health. Becker is a collaborator on studies being conducted now on NASA’s International Space Station ...
Vaccines in Space: Taking Biotech to Microgravity Labs
Popular Mechanics - June 8, 2009 [PDF 186KB]
Last week, International Space Station crews conducted a trailblazing microgravity vaccine experiment on behalf of a company to thwart drug-resistant infections. The trick: growing superdiseases in space. ...