On Jan. 29, Pitt announced the launch of the new Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine, a center dedicated to studying spaceflight impact on human health and its translation to health research on Earth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine<\/a> aims to apply biomedicine, engineering and space research to develop treatments for chronic illnesses and to innovate technologies. The $25 million institute<\/a> is supported by donations from the Trivedi Family Foundation<\/a> and will be one of the first institutes of its kind, featuring a Center for Space Biomedicine and a Center for Space Biomanufacturing, Synthetic Biology and Digital Health.<\/p>\n According to Ashok Trivedi, the new institute\u2019s major donor, the institute will provide opportunities for economic and biomedical research growth. Trivedi is hopeful the discoveries made through the Trivedi Institute will drive the \u201cbiotechnical ecosystem\u201d of Pittsburgh.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTo my knowledge, this is the first of its kind<\/a> institute in Pennsylvania, in the U.S. and perhaps in the world,\u201d Trivedi said. \u201cPioneering new frontiers involves a lot of risks and many challenges, but it is also very rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n Kate Rubins, the founding director of the Trivedi Institute and former NASA astronaut, emphasized the aspect of \u201cglobal biomedicine\u201d in the Center. This focus will prioritize the application of biological and natural science principles for clinical use around the world. The Institute, then, will focus on translating observations made in space to people on Earth on every biological level.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not focused on using [this research] for astronaut health<\/a>, because NASA already does that,\u201d Rubins said. \u201cWe want to apply that for the health of people back on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n Rubins spent a total of 300 days in space over two long-duration missions to study genomics and human health under extreme conditions. She said that during her travels through space, she felt many physiological changes in her body. These effects became most pronounced when Rubins arrived back on Earth, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI really felt like an 85-year-old woman when I was dragged out of the capsule,\u201d Rubins said. \u201cIn space, there is the same amount of bone loss<\/a> in one month that an 80-year-old osteopathic woman would have in a year.\u201d<\/p>\n