Much of what NASA does, whether exploring space or studying the Earth has benefits way beyond space exploration Photo Credit/NASA Image
Sometimes the road to success involves a detour to a blind alley.
Such is the case with a recent invention developed by a team of creative NASA engineers and scientists at the Johnson Space Center that shows great promise as a minimal invasive treatment for atheroschlerosis, a clogging of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is a form of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in theUnited Statesfor many years.
Recently, NASA signed a patent license agreement with a California company, Meridian Health Systems, for the use of a prototype of the device in clinical trials that could lead toward Food and Drug Admistration approval for wider use.
“My company believes that the need has never been greater for a minimal or non-invasive, low-cost tool such as this for the management of individuals at risk for coronary artery disease,” said Dr. Anthony C. Dike, Meridian’s president and CEO, in a space agency statement.
The story of this breakthrough began nearly two decades ago at Johnson, where engineers decided to attempt the development of an imaging system using millimeter wave electromagnetic energy. The project required them to lease some expensive high tech equipment.
It soon became clear, the approach was not going to work for the original imaging application.
But the lease agreement had not run out, and the engineers and scientists involved in the imaging project decided to “brain storm.”
They settlled on a treatment for atherosclerosis after consulting with aHoustonarea physicial. Atherosclerosis occurs when fat and cholesterol build up on the walls of arteries and cause them to harden. The reduced blood flow can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
The engineers looked to the use of W band transmissions from the original experiment through a miniaturized directional antenna attached to a catheter. Once inserted into a damaged artery, the millimeter wave transmissions could penetrate the artery wall, retoring elasticity to the blood vessel without jeopardizing the healthy tissue.
“Although it’s a little off the beaten path of NASA’s mission, we really enjoy seeing some of the technology that we develop find humanitarian applications on the ground,” said NASA engineer Dickey Arndt, one of the inventors. “We always try to keep in mind possible terrestrial applications for the technologies we’re developing for space exploration.”
In all, nearly a dozen current and former NASA engineers and medical researchers worked on the project, one of many opportunities experts at Johnson are prepared to pursue.
The treatment device for heart disease is but one striking example of the many “spin offs” that come from NASA’s efforts to explore outer space and the study the Earth.
Many of NASA’s pursuits contribute to better human health, global communications as well as the production and distribution of clean energy and improved fuel efficiency.