NASA astronaut Jessica Meir processes samples of heart stem cells and bacteria

iss074e0518253 (April 23, 2026) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Jessica Meir processes samples of heart stem cells and bacteria that cause pneumonia using a portable glovebag inside the International Space Station's Harmony module. Observations in microgravity may give doctors a clearer understanding of how cellular and molecular mechanisms of infectious diseases damage heart tissue, potentially leading to advanced treatments for heart conditions on and off the Earth.