Have you ever imagined seeing your work travel beyond Earth?  
 
For Dr. Morgan Micheletti at Berkeley Eye Center, that vision became reality through a collaboration he led with Space Center Houston and Aegis Aerospace. 
 
Watch how his innovative idea evolved into the JAMES mission that launched to the International Space Station. 

JAMES is studying how intraocular lenses, the tiny implants used in cataract surgery, respond to the harsh conditions of space. In low Earth orbit, materials are exposed to intense ultraviolet light, radiation, temperature swings, and atomic oxygen. 

By testing these surgical implants in space, the JAMES Mission may help pave the way for safer, more durable cataract surgery technology for future astronauts, and potentially for patients here on Earth as well. The research also helps answer an important question for future missions: how can we safely transport sterile medical implants from Earth to space? 

Mission support was provided through educational grants from STAAR Surgical, Carl Zeiss Meditec, and Bausch + Lomb.

Stay connected with Space Center Houston – we will share the findings from this research study in future communications.