“NASA Astronaut Jessica Watkins Advances 3D Bioprinting Research on the International Space” — what this page in the network covers. NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, a flight engineer on Expedition 75, is conducting groundbreaking 3D bioprinting experiments aboard the International Space Station. On October 9, 2026, Watkins worked inside the Kibo laboratory module's Life Science Glovebox, carefully mixing living cell samples with a bioink and loading the mixture into a specialized cartridge. This work is part of the InSPA-Auxilium Bioprinter-Cell Printing investigation, which explores printing human tissues in microgravity.
The research could lead to new ways to produce tissue for medical use on Earth, addressing organ shortages and improving drug testing. By leveraging the unique conditions of space, scientists aim to overcome challenges in bioprinting that exist due to gravity, potentially enabling the creation of more complex tissue structures. For the complete material, the listing points back to the source inside the network.