On its return from space, the sealed cube was opened and inspected. A swab was taken from the cubes interior to determine any potential  microorganisms that may have been present; which turned out to be negative whilst the rest of the samples were processed in a containment laboratory to handle any potential growths in culture. The very first successful results were obtained this week, after all six samples sent to the International Space Station returned growths on agar plates. These are now being followed up using state of the art equipment located in Malta, and abroad.

In August this year, Malta had sent biomedical samples from Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients to the International Space Station for experiments to be carried out to shed more light on this. Watch the video.



SpaceOMIX’s biocube, based on the successful ICE cubes design by Space Applications Services, was received back by Professor Joseph Borg last week after having flown over from Kennedy Space Centre to Malta.

No time was lost, as Professor Borg and his doctoral candidate Ms Christine Gatt opened the cube, and processed the biological samples under containment level to protect the samples. The interior of the biocube was swabbed to determine any potential microorganisms that may have been present; this turned out to be negative. The next step was the removal of the data logger thermocron, which logged the temperature on board the cube for the whole duration of the SpaceX CRS23 mission, including before launch and after splashdown.

The data logger has now been sent to The Netherlands for further data extraction. The human skin tissue samples were processed one by one, and a range of culture conditions were prepared for each sample. These are done in order to selectively grow any microorganism present on both tissue, and liquid buffer.

The target microorganisms all make part of the human skin microbiome which is thought to play very important roles in human skin defence and immune functioning. Diabetes mellitus is known to affect the skin environment, and in turn this may perturb skin microbiome population with harmful implications for skin infections and wound healing. 

"After a long day at the laboratory, last Saturday 24 October, the agar plates and other culture media were incubated overnight and checked the next day. On Sunday, 25 October we could confirm that all six biological samples sent to the International Space Station had turned back positive results", said Professor Borg.

Prof. Borg went on to say, "This is only a first, but very important, indicator that microbiological life present on human skin tissue from diabetic wound ulcers was maintained for the whole duration of Project Maleth's first mission and will now undergo further and more extensive tests."

"The next steps will further culture and identify the species of micro-organisms grown, moreover they will be tested for sensitivity assays and to which antibiotics they will respond and whether this changed as opposed to those grown in the laboratory here in Malta", he stated

Metagenomic sequencing experiments will also be carried out jointly with Weill Cornell Medicine principal investigator Christopher Mason, and Afshin Beheshti who leads the Analysis Working Group for multiomics at NASA’s Gene Lab and to which Joseph Borg is an active member.

Whole genome sequencing on each human skin sample will complete the full repertoire of molecular tests designed and planned for this first experiment. The experiments and data generation are ongoing; in fact the team behind the first successful mission is now also busy preparing the next experiment to hitch a ride on SpaceX CRS24 scheduled to depart next 4 December, also from Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Centre. Further details about this mission will be announced soon.

This venture has been made possible through the support by Arkafort and Evolve Ltd facilitated by UM's Research Innovation & Development Trust, the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and the Malta Council for Science & Technology. Public support garnered through the ZAAR crowdfunding campaign. 

Anyone wanting to have a closer look at the biocube that went to the International Space Station and back, and a chance to speak with team members can do so by attending at the Café Scientifique event that will be held on Wednesday 10 November at 19:00. This will be the very first public appearance of the biocube after it has returned from space.