Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Each year, more than 12,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. The disease grows rapidly, adapts quickly, and evades the immune system—making it one of the most difficult cancers to treat.
At the University of Notre Dame, Meenal Datta, the Jane Schoelch DeFlorio Collegiate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and her research team are pushing the boundaries of cancer research by taking the fight to space. In 2024, they launched a first-of-its-kind glioblastoma experiment to the International Space Station, using microgravity to grow more realistic tumor models and accelerate testing for new therapies.
Their groundbreaking work is helping scientists understand glioblastoma in new ways—and bringing us closer to a cure here on Earth.
Each year, more than 12,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. The disease grows rapidly, adapts quickly, and evades the immune system—making it one of the most difficult cancers to treat.
At the University of Notre Dame, Meenal Datta, the Jane Schoelch DeFlorio Collegiate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and her research team are pushing the boundaries of cancer research by taking the fight to space. In 2024, they launched a first-of-its-kind glioblastoma experiment to the International Space Station, using microgravity to grow more realistic tumor models and accelerate testing for new therapies.
Their groundbreaking work is helping scientists understand glioblastoma in new ways—and bringing us closer to a cure here on Earth.
