Achievements

The entire research program in Space Life Sciences was set up, developed and conducted jointly by Oliver Ullrich and Cora Thiel. Innovative work, particularly the 2015 TRIPLE LUX A experiment aboard the ISS, revealed that cells can sense and adapt to changes in gravity within seconds, challenging previous assumptions about the time required for gravitational effects to influence cellular behavior. This discovery, which earned Cora Thiel and Oliver Ullrich the esteemed Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger Prize, has significantly advanced our understanding of cellular responses to gravity, highlighting the whole cell as a sensory and responsive entity to gravitational changes. The human cells’ response to changes in gravity appear to be encoded in the spatial structure of our genes, as a kind of three-dimensional code, a “genomic code of gravity”, which could represent the biological basis of why and how cells perceive, respond and adapt to the gravitational environment.
At the 74th International Astronautical Congress, Oliver Ullrich was honored with the prestigious IAA Academy Award for Life Sciences 2023, recognizing groundbreaking contributions to space life sciences. Elected as a lifetime member of the Academy in 2012, he was able to add substantial contributions in this field, particularly in research on the effects of gravity on human cells.

Picture: NASA

Cora Thiel and Oliver Ullrich have developed a method for producing human tissue from adult stem cells in microgravity: Organoids are 3D in vitro culture systems derived from self-organizing stem cells, recapitulating the in vivo architecture, functionality, and genetic signature of original tissues. Recent developments of human patient-derived organoids have enabled disease modeling with precision, highlighting their great potential in biomedical applications, translational medicine, and personalized therapy. We developed a fully scalable biotechnological process to produce such human organoids from autologous mesenchymal stems in microgravity, where 3D growth and differentiation into complex tissues is achieved in the force-free environment. The “3D Organoids from Space” project started in 2018, when the University of Zurich and Airbus team participated in an Airbus-internal innovation competition for initial funding. The project successfully prevailed against roughly 500 other ideas. The R&D phase 2019 -2021 included extensive ground-based experiments and two production tests on the International Space Station (ISS) on board SpX-20 and SpX-23. We successfully produced cartilage, bone, and liver and neuronal tissue, validated by specific functional tissue markers and with 100% yield, which could be further cultivated longer than 30 days post-flight without loss of quality. Thus, for the first time, we have established a full production process for human tissue in microgravity.

Pictures: NASA / Julian Raatschen, Airbus Defence and Space

With world-class biolabs located at Hangar 4 and the Irchel Campus, as well as at the Kennedy Space Center in the USA, we have established a robust infrastructure for biomedical research in space. With the Swiss SkyLab, we developed a comprehensive civil research flight facility at the Innovation Park Zurich. This includes conducting parabolic flights, which are crucial for experiments under microgravity conditions. Our experience is highlighted by involvement as scientific mission lead in 12 International Space Station (ISS) missions, which includes astronaut studies. Moreover, the team has successfully completed 20 parabolic flight campaigns and conducted 9 suborbital research missions, demonstrating their capability in rigorous space-related biomedical research. This extensive experience and state-of-the-art facilities empower the Institute of Aerospace Medicine to lead in the intersection of biotechnology and medicine within the space sector.

Pictures: Regina Sablotny

Parabolic flights are one of the most important pillars for research, development, and applications in space. Accordingly, we developed the world’s first non-governmental parabolic flight program using Novespace’s Airbus A310 ZERO-G and NLR’s Cessna Citation II. Through the flexible combination of academic research with industrial experiments, as well as with the support of private persons and low administrative efforts, we achieved a highly cost-efficient small-scale campaign concept, which is located at the Air Base Dübendorf in Switzerland. The program was very successful, and it resulted in 36 experiments and tests conducted by universities and organizations in the industry in microgravity, culminating in many scientific publications and in larger subsequent projects for all users. We successfully built a parabolic flight program from the “bottom-up”, as scientists for scientists on a voluntary, non-governmental, and non-commercial basis.

Pictures: Regina Sablotny

The UZH Space Hub, established in 2018, has rapidly ascended to a strong and vibrant ecosystem. Within a five years, it became a significant and visible player internationally (as of a 2021 report by SpaceTech Analytics, it is recognized as one of the 28 key Hubs in the global SpaceTech arena). The UZH Space Hub's success is marked by numerous achievements, has forged high-ranking partnerships with industry giants like Airbus Defence and Space, and highly esteemed collaborations with organizations such as NASA and membership with the Universities Space Research Association, highlighting its esteemed standing in both academic and industrial sectors. UZH Space Hub groups focus on critical areas such as Earth observation, space life sciences (including biotech, pharma, and aerospace medicine), astrophysics, autonomous flying, green aviation, and space sustainability. In 2024, leading institutions from the Greater Zurich Area and the Rhine Valley moved forward and merged their space expertise to establish the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA), initiated from the core of the UZH Space Hub. This federal foundation, under the strategic direction of the Zurich cantonal government's decision on Space as a cantonal flagship (RRB-2024-372), aims to advance the New Space Economy through a unified approach.

Picture: FEFD, Kanton ZH / Luftwaffe

Between November 8, 2020, and August 31, 2021, we played a crucial role in addressing the coronavirus pandemic by conceptualizing, setting up, and operating the antigen test laboratory for the Corona Drive-In Test Center in Dübendorf. This initiative was a collaboration with Balgrist University Hospital. The center's day-to-day operations were heavily supported by UZH students, with a total of 170 students and staff members contributing. Their roles varied from conducting medical procedures such as nasopharyngeal swabs, carried out by advanced medical students, to handling administrative and organizational tasks. Students specializing in biomedical or biochemistry assisted in the antigen test laboratory, working under the guidance of seasoned molecular biologists and lab technicians from our team. Over the span of 9 and a half months, this dedicated team collectively contributed 45’446 hours of voluntary student’s work, with 13’172 hours specifically dedicated to tasks within the antigen testing laboratory. Additionally, our team volunteered 2’862 hours of their time. Throughout its operation, the antigen test laboratory successfully conducted 66’802 tests, which included both mass and outbreak testing efforts. The mission concluded on August 31, 2021, marking the end of a significant chapter in our contribution to public health during the pandemic.

Picture: Regina Sablotny