Key Details
Khaled Kamal, assistant professor of kinesiology and health at Iowa State University, leads research on how microgravity accelerates muscle and bone loss.
The work aims to inform NASA's long-duration missions and develop treatments for conditions like muscular dystrophy, sarcopenia, and disuse atrophy. Kamal's lab uses the StrexCell stretch system to simulate microgravity effects on muscle cells.
Research Focus
Kamal's background includes work on NASA-European Space Agency missions, analyzing plant samples from the International Space Station.
Microgravity disrupts mechanotransduction — the process by which cells sense mechanical force — leading to rapid muscle and bone deterioration. Astronauts can lose 10-20% of muscle mass in early months in space and 1.2% of bone density per month, versus 1% per year on Earth after age 50.
The same cellular failures occur in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, age-related sarcopenia, immobilization, and sedentary lifestyles.
Current Projects
Kamal leads a NASA GeneLab working group analyzing small extracellular vesicles from astronaut blood to identify biomarkers of stress.
His team studies exercise-mimetic exosomes ("exerosomes") that can reprogram diseased vesicles to promote healthier communication between muscle and bone. This work earned first place in the 2026 American Physiology Summit Hot Topics in Muscle Biology Award Competition.
The lab is also investigating Piezo1, a mechanosensitive ion channel; activating it pharmacologically may restore mechanotransduction during unloading.
Statements
"Spaceflight acts as a 'biological fast-forward button,' allowing observation of changes that take years on Earth in just weeks." — Khaled Kamal
Kamal stated that understanding how the body breaks down in extreme environments can help people with muscle loss on Earth.
Graduate student Namitha Bannimath, a lab member, said the research has taught her patience and confidence.
Broader Implications
The research could influence countermeasures for astronauts and lead to treatments for muscle-wasting conditions on Earth. Kamal emphasized training the next generation of scientists as a key motivator.