Abu Dhabi medical team gears up to monitor blood sugar levels of astronauts in space

Al Etihad

07-05-2025

7 May 2025 19:57
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)A team of Burjeel doctors led by Dr Mohammad Fityan is preparing to monitor blood glucose levels of astronauts on the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS).The Burjeel-led study aims to explore glucose metabolism and aspects of diabetes in microgravity. Ax-4 is a planned private spaceflight to the ISS, operated by Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX and NASA. Scheduled for launch on May 29, the mission will carry four astronauts from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon spacecraft.Over the 14-day mission, the crew will conduct around 60 scientific studies from 31 countries, with the Burjeel study among them.'We will study the effect of the space environment on glucose metabolism in the body. This can enhance our understanding of diabetes as well as other metabolic diseases that affect blood sugar levels,' said Dr Fityan said in an interview with Aletihad.'On Earth, it's difficult to isolate the effects of gravity, muscle use, and posture on glucose regulation. In microgravity, changes in muscle mass, fluid distribution, and circadian rhythm provide a new lens through which we can study how glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity are regulated,' he explained.Not all crew members will wear monitors. 'One or more astronauts will be wearing glucose monitors for the entire mission,' he said. 'A dedicated research team and laboratory experts at Burjeel will monitor real-time health data from the ISS,' he added.The study will also examine insulin stability in space. 'Insulin pens will be sent on the flight, but astronauts will not use them. We are testing the viability and stability of insulin in the space environment.'Burjeel will also send lancets, needles, and point-of-care blood glucose machines. 'Blood samples will be taken during the flight to validate glucose levels,' said Dr Fityan, who is currently serving as Director of Medical Education at Burjeel Holdings and is also its Chief Medical Officer.Dr Fityan, a US citizen of Iraqi origin, is a double board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. He has also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor and Student Clerkship Director in the United States. He noted that current spaceflight protocols exclude insulin-dependent diabetics. 'NASA has excluded insulin-dependent diabetics from travelling to space. There are no official exclusions for non–insulin-dependent diabetics, but so far, no astronaut with diabetes has travelled to space' said Dr Fityan, who will be present at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the day of the proposed launch. 'By understanding blood glucose patterns, validating glucose monitors' reliability, assessing insulin stability, and evaluating data transmission, this research will help ensure the safety of astronauts with insulin-dependent diabetes in future missions.'Dr Fityan believes the findings could benefit Earth-based care as well. 'These findings may help us uncover novel regulatory pathways or early biomarkers for insulin resistance, potentially leading to preventive interventions long before diabetes manifests,' he said.He added: 'The study may also evolve glucose monitoring tools optimised for low-activity or remote settings, benefiting patients on Earth through wearable tech and telehealth innovations.'Ultimately, Dr Fityan sees the Ax-4 study as a stepping stone toward more inclusive space missions. 'Understanding how glucose regulation is affected in non-diabetic individuals in microgravity is the first step toward assessing what might happen in those with impaired glucose metabolism.'
'In the long run, studies like Ax-4 can help rewrite the criteria for spaceflight eligibility—not by lowering standards, but by developing technologies and protocols that make space more accessible for people living with chronic conditions like diabetes.'