The University of Lethbridge is working with the Canadian Space Agency on a new project aimed at testing how biological materials could one day be used in space and in remote communities on Earth. Researchers in the Willi Lab, led by Dr. Jessica Willi, are helping develop “extraterrestrial biomanufacturing” (ET-bio), a concept that could allow medicines, vitamins and biomaterials to be produced on demand during future space missions to the Moon or Mars. Dr. Willi says biochemical reactions can be freeze-dried, sent into space, and later reactivated using DNA instructions to produce needed materials. On Aug. 19, two identical payloads were launched from Timmins, Ont., as part of the CSA’s STRATOS ICARUS 2026 campaign. The payloads carried bioreagents prepared by the university team. Master’s student Roza Gabdullina and Mitacks Globalink student Valeria Angulo Villa worked on assembling, freeze-drying and testing the biological reactions over the summer. The payload systems were developed with support from the university’s Agility makerspace in Lethbridge, which helped design and build the protective rack for the experiment. After reaching the stratosphere - a near-space environment used for testing - the payloads were recovered in Northern Ontario and sent back to Lethbridge for analysis. The research team will now study whether the biological materials survived the extreme conditions and review the data collected during flight. Researchers say the project not only supports future space exploration, but could also help improve access to medical and biological products in rural and remote parts of Canada where supply chains are limited. For the students involved, the project also provided hands-on experience in lab work, experimental design and biotechnology systems.
