Robert Fredriksson brings space research into the drug discovery laboratory

In the winter of 2024, fifty million Swedish stem cells were launched from Cape Canaveral to ISS, the International Space Station, which has orbited the Earth since 1998. After two weeks in microgravity, the cells returned to ground level for onward transport to Uppsala’s Biomedical Center. Here, more than two years after their journey, they continue to generate new medical insights.

“Already in 2023, with support from the Swedish National Space Agency, we were able to send stem cells into six minutes of microgravity over Kiruna. Together, these two missions have provided us with extremely valuable material. Among other things, we see that stem cells exposed to space become more robust, which contributed to the cells we sent from the US on a second mission surviving for fourteen days. In contrast, the cells that travelled for the first time did not survive, which raises several interesting questions,” says Robert Fredriksson.

The research team has also observed that the cells divide more rapidly and take longer to mature. “The stem cells have, quite simply, become even more stem-like,” Fredriksson notes. In the long term, the team aims to answer how microgravity affects biochemistry and protein production. The ambition is to conduct these studies using human stem cells – so far, the group works with a cell line derived from a mouse embryo – but access to space missions requires patience.

“At Kiruna’s Esrange Space Center, we have the conditions we need to send human stem cells into space. Demand for access is high, but cells are small, and we hope to secure a place on a launch within the next five years. Until then, we continue working with the cells we have to understand exactly what causes the increased survival rate.”

There is no shortage of well-founded theories. One hypothesis is that cells exposed to microgravity begin to secrete substances that strengthen neighbouring cells. Another possibility is that cells expand when they are no longer compressed by gravity, which likely affects their behaviour.

“As soon as we are able to answer these questions, we aim to open several new scientific doors –partly related to tumour cells and metastases, but above all in enabling the cultivation of new stem cells. This, in turn, could pave the way for new approaches to treating neurodegenerative diseases,” says Robert Fredriksson.

Communication between and within cells has long been at the core of Fredriksson’s research. His classification of G protein-coupled receptors – which transmit signals from the outside of the cell to its interior – continues to be widely cited, contributing to his inclusion in the Top 2% Scientists ranking of the world’s most influential researchers. Over time, the group has also specialised in analysing how different therapeutic substances affect our cells.

“We are currently focusing on statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs that also show anti-inflammatory effects in blood vessel walls. Today, several additional interesting effects are observed – for example, cancer patients often respond better to chemotherapy when they are also treated with statins. If we can identify the underlying mechanisms, this might be of significant clinical relevance,” says Robert Fredriksson.

Looking forward, the team’s scientific vision extends far beyond statins. They are currently preparing a study that also includes loratadine – a medication for pollen allergies – and SSRIs, the most common type of antidepressants. The future aim is to identify combination effects beyond those already known.

“The process to develop a new drug requires enormous amounts of time and resources. Identifying new areas of use for already approved substances is far more efficient. For example, the discovery of statins’ anti-inflammatory effects gave them much broader relevance than originally intended. We are now exploring further possibilities, and if all goes according to plan, we hope to help drug developers save many years and billions in costs,” says Robert Fredriksson.

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt a o