The National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF) is a non-profit organization that funds adult stem cell and regenerative medicine research. Since 2018, NSCF has been sending 3D organoid models of the human brain to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the effects of microgravity on brain cells, particularly in relation to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's. NSCF partners with organizations like NASA and Axiom Space to conduct research on the ISS, with the goal of developing new cell, drug, and gene therapies.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The National Stem Cell Foundation secured funding early in 2023 to cover spaceflight costs for a launch around the end of 2023 to the International Space Station to test drugs for Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis in orbit for the first time.
The National Stem Cell Foundation has supported first-of-a-kind neurodegeneration studies on the International Space Station since 2019.