JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It's blast off for a childhood dream for a Jacksonville doctor.

Stem cell research done at the Mayo Clinic will be on board the SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket set to launch early Sunday morning.

Mayo Clinic wants to test the effect of zero gravity on stem cell growth, so the rocket will bring the cells to the International Space Station.

"It's about giving hope," Dr. Abba Zubair said. "Some solutions, you may have to go far or think out of the box to find the answers."

While researching how stem cells could help people who've lost bone density, Zubair certainly thought outside the box — way outside the box: all the way to outer space.

"This is my childhood dream," Zubair said. "I wanted to be an astronaut, well I wound up being a doctor. I tried to link my passion and vis

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