University of Malta

MSIDA, Malta, April 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the celebrations for the MALETH project took place with a special keynote presentation from Dr. James Green, NASA's Former Chief Scientist. From Singleron, Dr. Samuel Kerr joined to present the yeast research studies aboard the International Space Station. The MALETH Project, which was led by Professor Joseph Borg from the University of Malta brought internationally excelling scientists together to analyze samples of human skin tissue and yeast cells that were sent into space to understand how the conditions of the harsh environment in space and at the International Space Station ISS affected the samples. Professor Borg commented: "This international collaboration, to which Singleron contributed with their expertise on single cell analysis, is opening the window into profiling the microbiome in the context of space and the microgravity environment. Collectively, we are improving precision medicine and overall research in life and health sciences. Looking forward to more exciting projects that allow us to look and even reach the stars yet with feet on the ground to deliver applied science where it matters most." This is where the scientist, who feels at home in space, speaks our mind: "Enhancing health and quality of life is our mission at Singleron! We were very proud to join this project and thankful for the opportunity!", concludes Dr. Bruno Monschau, GM at Singleron Biotechnologies GmbH. About Singleron: Founded in 2018, Singleron develops and commercializes single cell multi-omics products that can be used in both research and clinical settings. Its current product portfolio includes instruments, microfluidic devices, reagents, software analysis and database solutions that facilitate high-throughput single cell analysis. Singleron's sample services offer expert execution and generation of high-quality results for academia, clinics, and biotech. The company currently has offices, laboratories, and manufacturing facilities in Germany, Singapore, China, and the US. Its products are used in over 2,000 laboratories in hospitals, research institutes, and pharmaceutical companies. Public Relations Contact: Email: [email protected] SOURCE Singleron Biotechnologies GmbH

NASA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center are launching stem cells into space. In the study, funded by NASA and being conducted by scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the stem cells have been sent into space and will orbit for just over a month’s time to determine whether they grow differently without G-force. A remotely controlled container of cells, with reagents and equipment needed to remotely sustain the cells, arrived at the International Space Station over the weekend. Two queries are presented alongside the launch details: do cells age differently in low orbit and can the Earthly challenges of stem cell growth amplification be overcome in space? The human body is comprised of a full library of cell types, cataloged by specialty and location such as the striated cardiac muscles or the branching neurons in the brain. Each of these cells began as a raw stem cell and has developed in a particular manner. The cells can multiply to become a plentiful stem cell line under the correct conditions, but laboratory settings that would generate the quantity needed for medicinal purposes pose challenges that require innovative thinking. Despite being featured in many biologic candidates currently under research and development and in clinical trials, mass-producing stem cells for use in these therapeutics isn’t feasible. To prevent conglomeration or losing the stem cells at the bottom of a reactor tank, the bioreactor must be stirred at a rate that causes probable cell death. The end result is very few stem cells suitable for therapeutic and research use. By launching stem cells into space, the Cedars-Sinai research team is hoping to overcome these production limitations. With stem cells, the possibilities and applications are increasing each day. They can work as models for testing drug safety and efficacy, thus reducing the burden placed on animal model research, be used as regenerative cells for those that have suffered damage as a result of injury or disease and even as a basic tool to help researchers further understand the human body. “By pushing the boundaries like this, it’s knowledge and it’s science and it’s learning,” Clive Svendsen, executive director at the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute, commented. Svendsen has sent a part of himself along with the project, as the donor of the stem cells. Various other studies are being conducted by research teams around the globe in an effort to better understand the potential of stem cells. Just last week, researchers from the University of Malta announced the launch of a similar mission that will be conducted aboard a SpaceX craft. The Maleth II project is the second installment of the Maleth Program that is designed to evaluate how human skin tissue cell genetics react to low earth orbit. A remotely controlled biocube will orbit the Earth for 60 days while the single cells are analyzed for changes. The student researchers at the university are being directly supported by Malta’s national Research, Innovation, Development Trust and the study itself is in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Singleron Biotechnologies

COLOGNE, Germany, July 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maleth Program is the first space bioscience project led by Professor Joseph Borg of the University of Malta. The second mission under the Maleth Program, or Maleth II, was launched on the July 15th, 2022. "Maleth II boarded a SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft for the launch as part of Commercial Re-supply mission 25 (CRS25) destined for the International Space Station and will stay in orbit for around 60 days", said Prof. Borg. Singleron Biotechnologies, a single cell multi-omics company based in Cologne, Germany, proudly supports this exciting project along with the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs, the Ministry for Education of Malta, and MeDirect – Malta’s first digital Bank. The mission is being facilitated by the Research, Innovation, Development Trust (RIDT) that will be supporting University of Malta students. The Maleth II biocube will once again be remotely controlled from Malta, by Arkafort Ltd. in collaboration with Prof. Borg and can have real-time telemetry data on the running experiment on board the space station. "Alongside the human skin tissue samples to study microbiome involved in diabetic foot ulcers, is also a yeast sample that forms part of an ongoing mini-project supported by Singleron Biotechnologies to detect at a single cell level all the genetic changes inside the yeast cells when exposed to low earth orbit conditions", explained Prof. Borg. Singleron is proud to be a partner in this exciting research project from Europe and believes that single cell analysis can be a powerful tool to understand the impact of space trips on biological organisms ranging from yeast to human. About SingleronFounded in 2018, Singleron develops and commercializes single-cell multi-omics products that can be used in both research and clinical settings. Its current product portfolio includes instruments, microfluidic devices, reagents, software analysis and database solutions that facilitate high-throughput single-cell analysis. The company currently has offices, laboratories, and manufacturing facilities in Germany, Singapore, China, and the US. Its products are used in over 1,600 laboratories in hospitals, research institutes, and pharmaceutical companies. Media ContactShaun CordesEmail: pr@singleron.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ce9ced24-9d7e-4544-b73b-c489a4cbffa4