This week’s episode explores two frontiers: space travel and artificial intelligence. First, we discuss a study testing whether mouse sperm cryopreserved and stored in the International Space Station could still produce healthy offspring back on Earth. It’s a question with real implications for the future of deep space missions and even space tourism. Then, we turn to recent advances in AI. We talk about a machine-learning model trained to predict more effective nanoparticles for delivering RNA vaccines and therapies. Also, we learn about an AI model that designs peptides for challenging targets in cancer and neurodegenerative disease without needing detailed protein structures. 

Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. 

Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: 

The State of Biotech Summit Registration 

Space Station Stem Cells Successfully Produce Healthy Mice 

GEN, August 18, 2025 

COMET's Rocket Speed: AI-Designed Nanoparticles Accelerate mRNA Therapies 

GEN, August 18, 2025 

Protein Language Model Hits Undruggable Targets, No Structure Required 

By Fay Lin, PhD GEN, August 14, 2025 

Touching Base Podcast 

Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD 

Behind the Breakthroughs 

Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD 

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