A Saudi researcher participates in a space search for microbes in the skin of diabetics

The Saudi researcher, Dr. Badr Shera, of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah, in partnership with the University of Malta, in studying the microbes of the skin of patients with type 2 diabetes who suffer from treatment-resistant diabetic foot ulcers on both terrestrial and space environments using routine bacteria culture and genetic sequence analysis. To determine how well they adapt to changes in the environment.

The cube containing the samples was launched aboard a SpaceX rocket in the United States, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 towards the International Space Station, as the cube will be installed at the Ice Cubes facility in the European Columbus Unit at the station by Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi.

Al Neyadi recently launched to the space station, and he is the second Emirati ever to go to space, and the first to work on the International Space Station on a long-term mission of about 6 months.

Diabetic treatment

This kind of research could help people on Earth, as well as humans who will travel into space to explore the Moon and Mars in the future.

It also contributes to studying the effects of exposure to a low-gravity environment on microbes and their adaptation to harsh environments, which helps in creating potential medical treatments for diabetes patients.

Saudi Vision 2030

The mission marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of space technology in biomedical research.

The research contributes to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the goal of building a global position for the Kingdom in the field of space, as it is the first research from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to send samples of patients with type 2 diabetes from Saudi Arabia to space.