How to obtain an integrated picture of the molecular networks involved in adaptation to microgravity in different biological systems?

Abstract

Periodically, the European Space Agency (ESA) updates scientific roadmaps in consultation with the scientific community. The ESA SciSpacE Science Community White Paper (SSCWP) 9, "Biology in Space and Analogue Environments", focusses in 5 main topic areas, aiming to address key community-identified knowledge gaps in Space Biology. Here we present one of the identified topic areas, which is also an unanswered question of life science research in Space: "How to Obtain an Integrated Picture of the Molecular Networks Involved in Adaptation to Microgravity in Different Biological Systems?" The manuscript reports the main gaps of knowledge which have been identified by the community in the above topic area as well as the approach the community indicates to address the gaps not yet bridged. Moreover, the relevance that these research activities might have for the space exploration programs and also for application in industrial and technological fields on Earth is briefly discussed.

Fig. 1. The SSCWP identified three key knowledge gaps in the area of network biology.

The SSCWP made recommendations for work/goals in these three areas. In the short term, network biology approaches should be applied to compare changes within and across species. In the near term, AI/ML approaches should be incorporated into network biology approaches. In the longer term, network biology approaches should be employed in real time in flight. Additional details and references are provided in the text.