Bioinformatics and Artemis

Shaping the Future of Lunar Exploration

As humanity returns to the Moon through NASA’s Artemis program, the integration of advanced technologies in space exploration is more crucial than ever. Among these, bioinformatics can serve as a valuable tool, offering insights into biological data that could improve healthcare on lunar and extended duration missions. Understanding what bioinformatics is, its current relevance to NASA, and its potential applications on the Moon, can help us appreciate its role in supporting sustainable human presence on, and eventually, around the Moon.

What is Bioinformatics?

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that combines biology, computer science, and information technology to analyze and interpret biological data. At its core, it involves the development and application of computational tools to understand the genetic and molecular components of organisms. This can include sequencing and annotating genomes, analyzing gene and protein expressions, and predicting the structure and function of biomolecules.

Relevance to NASA and the Artemis Program NASA’s Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by the end of this decade. Bioinformatics has potential value in this context, as it can assist in addressing some of the key challenges in space travel, particularly those related to human health. Understanding how the human body adapts beyond low-earth orbit is vital for long-duration missions, and the study of bioinformatics allows researchers to process vast amounts of data to better understand how space travel impacts the human body.

Monitoring Astronaut Health in Real-Time

A potential application of bioinformatics in lunar exploration is the real-time monitoring of astronaut health. Space missions expose astronauts to unusual stressors, including microgravity, radiation, and isolation, all of which can impact their biological, physiological, and even cognitive states. By using genomics and other omics technologies, such as proteomics and metabolomics, bioinformatics can help track some of these changes in real-time.

For instance, sequencing an astronaut’s genome could help identify specific genes that might make them more susceptible to radiation damage or bone density loss. Similarly, proteomic analysis can monitor protein levels that inform health issues like muscle atrophy or cardiovascular irregularities. These data can be continuously analyzed using machine learning models to predict potential health problems, allowing for preemptive interventions.

Machine Learning Models to Predict Health

Issues

Machine learning, a cornerstone technique in bioinformatics, can further enhance the safety and success of lunar missions. By developing predictive models based on previous biological data collected from astronauts, bioinformatics has the potential capability anticipate medical issues that might arise from extended stays on the Moon. For example, these models could possibly predict an increased likelihood of injury from prolonged microgravity exposure, or potential performance declines due to extreme periods of isolation and confinement.

The potential benefits extend beyond just health monitoring. For example, bioinformatics could potentially assist in designing personalized diets for astronauts to optimize their physical and mental well-being, based on their genomic, metabolic, and other risk-related indicator profiles. It could also help in the synthesis of personalized medicine on the lunar surface, tailored to the genetic makeup and current health status of each crew member.

As we gear up for the next chapter of lunar exploration, bioinformatics has a significant role in understanding and mitigating the biological risks of long-term space travel. From monitoring astronaut health and well-being in realtime to using genetic data for personalized healthcare, it’s crucial to ensure that humans have the resources to not just survive, but also thrive on the Moon.

By Katherine Rahill, PhD Senior Scientist & NASA Human Research Program