Biotech beyond earth: The future of medicine in space

LinkGevity, founded by two sisters, is developing anti-necrotic technologies, especially for application in kidney disease.

Carina Kern is the CEO of the company, while Serena Kern-Libera is the chief operating officer. After reading an article about how space-travel is especially damaging to the kidneys, they applied for a place on the inaugural NASA Space-H Accelerator program, and how medicine can support human deep-space missions.

LinkGevity was selected for the program, which is in its inaugural year. LinkGevity was selected as its research has uncovered technology with significant potential to minimize the health and performance risks in human spaceflight.

LinkGevity’s anti-necrotics applications cover four major areas: organoid preservation and growth; cryopreservation; organ growth and preservation; and kidney protection.

LinkGevity’s novel proprietary Blueprint Theory of Aging, developed by Kern, offers a multi-disciplinary framework for understanding the development of age-related diseases and deterioration. The theory enables the company’s AI to accurately identify and target key biological pathways involved in aging and deterioration, with necrosis being one of the most critical processes addressed.

To talk about the company’s technology, and its application to space, we had a conversation with Carina Kern and Serena Kern-Libera.

01:48-05:45: About LinkGevity
05:45-06:39: What is the goal for LinkGevity?
06:39-09:07: Is early intervention important?
09:07-11:10: What is the Blueprint Theory of Aging, and how do you identify and target key biological pathways involved in aging and deterioration?
11:10-13:51: Applying the theory
13:51-15:03: Necrosis and LinkGevity’s Anti-Necrotic technology
15:03-18:37: Blocking necrosis and treating disease
18:37-19:06: Drug delivery
19:06-20:54: The importance of AI
20:54-24:43: Connecting LinkGevity’s work with space
24:43-26:24: The SPACE-H program
27:18-28:13: Other biotech involvement in the program
28:13-30:13:  LinkGevity’s presentation at Space-Comm
30:13-31:00: Keeping space medicine simple
31:00-32:18: The future for LinkGevity
32:18-33:14: LinkGevity’s timescale
33:14-33:47: Clinical trials
33:47-34:53: LinkGevity’s future space work
34:53-35:30: Different space opportunities
35:30-38:12: LinkGevity funding

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