Language
English
Publication Date
12-22-2022
Journal
NPJ Microgravity
DOI
10.1038/s41526-022-00224-5
PMID
36550172
PMCID
PMC9780351
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
12-22-2022
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
Knowledge transfer among research disciplines can lead to substantial research progress. At first glance, astronaut health and rare diseases may be seen as having little common ground for such an exchange. However, deleterious health conditions linked to human space exploration may well be considered as a narrow sub-category of rare diseases. Here, we compare and contrast research and healthcare in the contexts of rare diseases and space health and identify common barriers and avenues of improvement. The prevalent genetic basis of most rare disorders contrasts sharply with the occupational considerations required to sustain human health in space. Nevertheless small sample sizes and large knowledge gaps in natural history are examples of the parallel challenges for research and clinical care in the context of both rare diseases and space health. The two areas also face the simultaneous challenges of evidence scarcity and the pressure to deliver therapeutic solutions, mandating expeditious translation of research knowledge into clinical care. Sharing best practices between these fields, including increasing participant involvement in all stages of research and ethical sharing of standardized data, has the potential to contribute to humankind's efforts to explore ever further into space while caring for people on Earth in a more inclusive fashion.
Keywords
Occupational health, Diseases, Medical research
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Puscas, Maria; Martineau, Gabrielle; Bhella, Gurjot; et al., "Rare Diseases and Space Health: Optimizing Synergies From Scientific Questions To Care" (2022). Faculty and Staff Publications. 2140.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/2140
Included in
Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity Commons, Biomedical Informatics Commons, Genetics and Genomics Commons, Medical Genetics Commons, Medical Molecular Biology Commons, Medical Specialties Commons