Space Station Live commentator Pat Ryan speaks to Huntington Disease
Researcher and Caltech PH.D. Candidate, Gwen Owens. The microgravity
environment gives researchers the ability to produce larger, more
perfect versions of the Huntington's crystal protein than in Earth.
Researchers then use X-ray Crystallography to view detailed 3-D
structures of the protein and locate individual molecules and atoms in
their quest to design drugs to treat the disease.
Gear specially
designed for this research aboard the International Space Station is due
for launch March 16 aboard a Falcon rocket for the SpaceX 3 mission.
The proteins grown during the experiment will then be returned aboard
the SpaceX Dragon capsule for study on Earth.
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