Leading the Way in the Development of Precision Medicine in Space and on Earth
We specialize in precision medicine for extreme environments and translate biomedical knowledge between space and Earth.
Our expertise includes targeted molecular analytics, clinical decision support, and multiomic analysis with data mining and interpretation.
We develop biotechnology and engage in rapid prototyping of metabolic network-focused countermeasures, such as food, nutrition, drug, training, and other human performance-directed services.
Our innovative projects involve biodigital twin development, artificial intelligence, neurocognitive assessment and countermeasures, as well as remote medicine training and preparation.
Our Molecular Analytics in Space
Missions
- NASA Twins Study of One Year in Space
- SpaceX Inspiration4
- Axiom-1
- Axiom-2
- Axiom-3
- SpaceX Polaris Dawn
- SpaceX Fram2
- Italian Space Agency Orbital Mission
Molecular Analytics and High Dimensional Data Analysis
- Genome
- Epigenome
- Transcriptome
- Proteome
- Metabolome
- Microbiome
- Immunome
- Exposome
SpaceX Polaris Dawn and the First Civilian Spacewalk Sept 12, 2024
Sovaris Aerospace is in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine, SpaceX, and the Polaris Dawn mission crew, and has a central role on the molecular mapping team for the 2024 Polaris Dawn mission. This was the first civilian spacewalk in history and reached the highest altitude of any human spacecraft since the Apollo program.
Our multiomics molecular mapping program provides the most sophisticated molecular analytics to date on a human space mission and on humans engaged in extravehicular activity (EVA, aka spacewalk).
Our analysis will lead to the following:
- Better describe the biological response to short-duration spaceflight and EVA,
- Identify potential new hypotheses for future research,
- Identify potential new countermeasure targets for development of solutions,
- Expand the medical atlas for human spaceflight (SOMA)
- Advance the field of precision medicine practice in human spaceflight.
These analytics also provide data for development of our Astronaut Digital Twin program, which will advance the field of training, countermeasures, clinical medicine, and prediction in human spaceflight.
Molecular analytics being captured in the Polaris Dawn mission include, but are not limited to genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, microbiome, immunome, and exposome
our Recent Work in the Journal Nature 2024 Entitled, “Space Omics”
Spaceflight Molecular Analytics
The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) and international astronaut biobank. Nature (2024)
Collection of biospecimens from the Inspiration4 mission establishes the standards for the space omics and medical atlas (SOMA). Nature Communications (2024).
Single-cell multiome and immune profiles of the Inspiration4 crew reveal conserved, cell-type, and sex-specific responses to spaceflight. Nature Communications (2024).
Protective alleles and precision healthcare in crewed spaceflight. Nature Communications (2024)
The second space age: Omics, platforms, and medicine across orbits. Nature (2024)
The Human Research Program for Civilian Spaceflight
Working in collaboration with the United States National Space Council (an Executive Office of the President), the Sovaris team co-led development of the foundational work that became the Human Research Program for Civilian Spaceflight (HRP-C). This effort enlisted the input of almost 200 thought leaders in human spaceflight today, ranging from NASA, JAXA, ESA, ISA, DLR, numerous academic centers, and industry leaders, such as Blue Origin, SpaceX, Axiom Space, Sierra Space, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, and others.
The Human Research Program for Civilian Spaceflight is the foundational program to address the health, safety, and performance of civilian space travelers in the commercial space sector. Various government space agencies have foundational human research programs addressing the needs of professional astronauts engaged in exploration missions. However, to date, there has been no dedicated effort with sufficient scope to address the widespread needs of civilian space travelers. The HRP-C has been established to fill this gap.
The founder of Sovaris Aerospace currently serves as President of the Human Research Program for Civilian Spaceflight.
Artificial Intelligence and the Astronaut Digital Twin Program
A digital twin is a bidirectional platform between a physical system and its virtual counterpart commonly applied in systems engineering applications. An engineering example is an aircraft engine with a twin engine built in digital form. Here, numerous exposure conditions and solutions can be tested in the digital engine—then the optimal solution applied to the physical engine.
Now, imagine a biodigital (astronaut) twin that applies this engineering approach to human systems to understand the state and trajectory of the human system. The Astronaut Digital Twin (ADT) is a mirror image of the astronaut in digital form. Often, a subset of a system within an astronaut is built to reflect a specific objective, such as optimizing all aspects of muscle building, maintenance, repair, and recovery. The ADT is developed from a proven suite of technology to animate data, gain understanding, and support decision making in real time. The Astronaut Digital Twin is designed to facilitate human performance and survival in the harsh environment of space, where muscle, bone, brain, and the cardiovascular system are at risk of atrophy. Sovaris Aerospace and its co-developer EmbodyBio are readying the ADT for missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars.
THE AsTRONAUT DIGITAL TWIN PROGRAM
Sample of Recent Publications from the Sovaris Team
- Overby, E, …Schmidt, MA, Mason, CE, et al. (2024) The Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) and international astronaut biobank. Nature View Paper
- Kim, JK, ….Schmidt, MA….. Mason, CE, et al. (2024) Single-cell multi-ome and immune profiles of the Inspiration4 crew reveal conserved, cell-type, and sex-specific responses to spaceflight. Nature Communications 15, 4954 (2024). View Paper
- Overby, EG, …Schmidt, MA, ….Mason, CE, et al. (2024) Collection of biospecimens from the Inspiration4 mission establishes the standards for the space omics and medical atlas (SOMA). Nature Communications 15, 4964 (2024). View Paper
- Rutter, LA, …Schmidt, MA, … Mason, CE, et al (2024) Protective alleles and precision healthcare in crewed spaceflight. Nature Communications. View Paper
- Mason, CE, …Schmidt, MA, … Mason, CE, Beheshti, A, et al (2024) The second space age: Omics, platforms, and medicine across orbits. Nature View Paper
- Garcia-Medina, SJ, …Schmidt, CM, Schmidt, JC, Schmidt, MA, …Mason, CE (2024) Genome and clonal hematopoiesis stability contrasts with immune, cfDNA, mitochondrial, and telomere length changes during short duration spaceflight. Precision Clinical Medicine. 7:1. View Chapter
- Smith, SY, ….. Schmidt, MA (2024) Kavalactones support motivation to move during intensive training in males preparing for military special operations forces. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. View Paper
- Nelson, TM, Mason, CE, Schmidt, MA, et al. (2024) Pharmacogenomics guided spaceflight: The intersection between space-flown drugs and space genes. British Journal of Pharmacology (Invited paper, In Press).
- Bauer, BA ….Schmidt, MA (2024) A multiomic, molecular atlas of breast cancer survivors. Metabolites. View Paper
- Schmidt, MA, Jones, JA, Mason, CE (2023). Optimizing human performance in extreme environments through precision medicine: From spaceflight to high-performance operations on Earth. Cambridge Prisms: Precision Medicine, 1, E27. View Paper
- McCullough, D, Schmidt, MA, …Davies, IG et al (2022) The effect of dietary carbohydrate and fat manipulation on the metabolome and markers of glucose and insulin metabolism: A randomised parallel trial. Nutrients 14(18), 3691; View Paper
- Kunces, L, Keenan, J, Schmidt, CM, Schmidt, MA. (2021) Molecular deficits relevant to concussion are prevalent in top-ranked football players entering the NFL draft. J Strength and Conditioning Research 35(11):3139-3144. View Paper
- Gertz, M, Chin, C, Schmidt, MA, Mason, CE, et al. (2020) Multi-omic, single-cell, and biochemical profiles of astronauts guide pharmacological strategies for returning to gravity. Cell Reports 33:108429. View Paper
- Schmidt, MA, Meyden, C, Afshinnekoo, E, Schmidt, CM, Mason, CE (2020) Elevation of gut-derived p-cresol during spaceflight and its effect on drug metabolism and performance in astronauts. BioRxiv 11.10. View Paper
- Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, CM, Hubbard, RM, Mason, CE (2020) Why personalized medicine is the frontier of medicine and performance for humans in space. New Space 8;2:63-76. View Paper
- Schmidt, MA, Meyden, C, Afshinnekoo, E, Schmidt, CM, Mason, CE (2020) The NASA Twins Study: The effect of one year in space on long-chain fatty acid desaturases and elongases. Lifestyle Genomics View Paper
- Stewart, GW, Schmidt, MA, Johnson, BD, et al. (2020) Myocardial adaptability in young and older-aged sea level habitants sojourning Mt Kilimanjaro: Are cardiac compensability limits reached in older trekkers? European Journal of Applied Physiology. View Paper
- Schmidt, MA, Schmidt, CM, Goodwin, TJ (2019) Pharmacogenomics in spaceflight: A foundation of personalized medicine in astronauts. Pathak, Y, dos Santos, M, & Zea, L, (Eds). Handbook of Space Pharmaceuticals. Springer Nature. Cham. View Chapter
New Textbooks of Space bioMedicine and Research from the Sovaris team
