This is a $150,000.00 grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman, Montana. The grant is for a research project titled "The Effects of Space-like Environmental Exposure on Enceladus Plume Analog Organisms and Implications for Life Detection Strategies". The grant does not have a set-aside designation and will be completed by August 31, 2026. MSU, a U.S. state government and educational institution, has a...
This is a $99,499.75 federal grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Montana State University (MSU) to establish a stable isotope probing (SIP) facility at the university. The grant will enable MSU to expand its astrobiology research capabilities by acquiring instrumentation to perform SIP analysis of RNA and DNA. This technology will allow MSU researchers to link microbial metabolism and function, providing insights into energy flow and ecosystem development...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $552,970.00 grant for research to Montana State University (MSU) to study the microbial diversity in geothermal features. This research grant, which does not have a set-aside designation, is scheduled for completion by July 31, 2024. As a premier research institution and land-grant university, MSU has a history of securing prime federal contracts and grants from agencies such as the Department of the Air Force, Department of...
This federal contract award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for $119,330.00 was granted to Montana State University (MSU) to investigate the relationship between hydrogen (H2) metabolism and carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation in geothermal spring ecosystems in Yellowstone National Park. The research aims to identify the microbial populations and metabolic pathways involved in these processes, and to understand how they support the establishment of more complex...
Montana State University received a $3.28 million research grant award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) effective October 1, 2020, with completion targeted for September 30, 2026. The research focuses on utilizing Earth-based ice systems, particularly the Devon Ice Cap in the Canadian Arctic, as analogs for studying the subsurface ocean environments of Europa and other icy moons. The project aims to characterize hypersaline subglacial lakes and outflows beneath...
This federal contract award was granted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Montana State University (MSU) to investigate the production of hydrogen (H2) in subglacial basaltic systems and its role in sustaining chemolithotrophic communities. The specific objectives of the research project are to characterize the chemistry of meltwaters in glacial catchments, determine rates of biological H2 transformation and CO2 fixation, quantify enrichment in H2-based metabolism...
This is a $133,237 federal grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Montana State University (MSU) on September 1, 2020. The grant is for research on the evolution of multicellularity, which is a fundamental question in the origin and evolution of life. The grant has a period of performance through December 31, 2023. MSU is a top-tier research university and the largest in Montana, with a strong track record of delivering high-quality research, technical...
This federal contract award, with ID NNX16AJ62G, was granted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Montana State University to conduct research on laminated microbial mats. The $502,339.00 grant will focus on comparing the taxonomic composition and metabolic functioning of two types of microbial mats - one formed by anoxygenic photosynthetic microorganisms and another formed by oxygenic cyanobacteria - in Yellowstone hot springs. The research will utilize metagenomic,...
This $431,418 grant awarded by NASA to Montana State University is focused on studying the biology and ecology of multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (MMB), which represent a unique model for understanding the early evolution of complex multicellular life. The project aims to: (i) determine the ecophysiology and metabolic requirements of MMB; (ii) assess whether MMB consortia exhibit cellular cooperation or division of labor; and (iii) develop hypotheses on the genetic and evolutionary...
This $73,965 grant was awarded by the Shared Services Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Montana State University. The grant will enable Montana State University to execute a balanced science program based on guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, administration priorities, and direction from Congress. The university will participate as a key partner and enabler in NASA's exploration initiative, focusing on scientific...
This is a $100,158 grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Montana State University (MSU) under the Exobiology program. The grant is to support the research of an MSU assistant professor on developing novel bioorthogonal labeling tools to study extremophilic microbes in geothermal hot springs. The research aims to provide a better understanding of the biotic and geochemical factors that drive microbial activity, which is relevant to NASA's Exobiology mission to study the phylogeny and physiology of microorganisms, including extremophiles, and their role in major geochemical cycles. The grant will fund graduate student salary and research expenses, but not the principal investigator's salary. This is not a set-aside contract.