Cancer cells to go into orbit
Astronauts are to take cancer cells into space if this week's shuttle launch goes ahead as planned.
They aim to grow a sample of ovarian cancer in a low gravity environment.
Doctors hope conditions in orbit will encourage the cancer to grow into a mass of tissue similar to that commonly found in the human body.
On Earth tumours grown in the lab spread in two dimensions, not three, unless a special low-gravity simulator is used.
The lab-based technique was developed by Nasa and perfected at the University Of South Florida Health Sciences Centre.
Cell biologist Jeanne Becker says the simulator has helped with the testing of new anti-hormonal therapies but this is the first time she will have sent cancer samples into orbit.
She said: "I believe that space-based technology offers an incredibly exciting and extremely unique approach to understanding the biology of this devastating women's disease."
Once the cancer tissue is preserved and flown back to Earth it will be analysed by Dr Becker and Nasa researchers.
