Israeli High School Students' Space Research Published: A Breakthrough in Neurodegenerative Disease Studies

In a landmark achievement, six former Israeli high school students' research on the effects of space travel on neurodegenerative diseases was published in Astrobiology. The study, part of the Ramon SpaceLab program, offers new insights for future space missions and potential treatments for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Six former Israeli high school students are experiencing a momentous achievement after their research on the effects of space travel on neurodegenerative diseases was featured in a leading scientific journal. The findings, with potential implications for long-term space missions and novel treatments for Alzheimer's disease, were published in Astrobiology.

The study, conducted both on Earth and aboard the International Space Station (ISS), was spearheaded by students from Shehakim School in Nahariya. Collaborating with researchers from the University of Haifa and Oranim College, the research is part of the Israeli Ramon SpaceLab program.

Commencing four years ago, the project saw then-ninth graders Ksina Onger, Yair Barak, Amit Yuval, Lia Stekolshik, Linoy Ego, and Yana Aydinov proposing to use microscopic nematodes to investigate space travel's impact on neurodegenerative diseases. Their work involved genetically engineering nematodes to develop a condition similar to Huntington's disease and monitoring their development in space and on Earth.

The findings showed notable differences due to space conditions, though repeated trials are needed to substantiate the results. This research sets a precedent for future youth collaborations in scientific research, potentially shaping long-term space travel and treatment methods.

(With inputs from agencies.)