Jose Martin Garcia, assistant research scientist at the Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, is leading a collaborative effort with NASA to study how protein crystals form in a microgravity environment. Jose studies Taspase 1, which is known for its role in human development as well as glioblastoma brain cancer, breast cancer and some forms of leukemia.

Developing a deeper understanding of the function of this protein could lead to more effective cancer therapy since its absence slows the cancerous cell cycle, triggers cancer cell death, and limits the cancer's destructive potential. Turning off Taspase 1 could lead to eradicating tumor cells without destroying surrounding tissue. More information on his work can be found here.

Jose's research was recently highlighted by several news outlets including:

 
 
 
 
 
and was covered in Spanish by Innovaspain and in the interview below.