Emirati astronaut Al Neyadi starts research to develop treatment for Type 2 diabetes

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi is all set to conduct the MALETH study aboard the International Space Station, which will help experts to develop a drug to treat Type 2 diabetes.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre said on Twitter, “@Astro_Alneyadi is participating in the MALETH research project aboard the International Space Station.

This project aims to advance medicine for treating type 2 diabetes and is a collaborative effort between international entities, including the @MBRSpaceCentre.”

Al Neyadi expressed his gratitude for being a part of the study.

He said on Twitter, “I am proud to conduct an experiment in the MALETH project, which will advance precision-based medicine for type 2 diabetes.

“???????????? By joining forces with global research partners and collaborators, we are harnessing the unique conditions of space to push the boundaries of knowledge.
Over 500 million people worldwide have diabetes, and we are working together to provide them with better treatment options.”

Project Maleth was the first ever Maltese mission in space.

It mainly focuses on obtaining results that can facilitate and improve precision-based medicine in treating Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs) more efficiently.

Joseph Borg, project coordinator of Maleth, said on Twitter, “Dear Sultan, as project coordinator of Maleth, it is an immense honor to see you handling and collaborating from #space on such an important condition. You carried in your hands — not just samples of patients, but also the passion, perseverance and heart of true scientists.”

The Project Maleth is Space Omics Analysis of the Skin Microbiome of Diabetic Foot Ulcers or SpaceOMIX.

In Malta, no study has yet been performed on the microbiome of diabetic foot ulcers and coupled with space bioscience research this is the first of its kind, one of the aims of this study is to determine the full microbiome profile of DFUs.

In the Ice Cubes #9 — Project Maleth (Space Omics Analysis of the Skin Microbiome of Diabetic Foot Ulcers, or SpaceOMIX) investigation, human skin microbiome samples from selected Type 2 Diabetic patients with diabetic foot ulcers resistant to treatment are studied as part of the first-ever Maltese space investigation on the International Space Station (ISS)—making it Malta’s first-ever mission to space.

The microbiome is co-cultured on both ground-based (analogue) and space-based conditions to determine their adaptation and changes to the environment. All samples are analysed in a multi-omic manner using state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques, and all data is to be deposited as part of the NASA GeneLab database.