The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $149,575.99 grant to the University of Arizona for a ground-based New Space Biology research project. The project will investigate the epigenetic effects of ionizing radiation and microgravity on gene expression related to DNA damage response and cell cycle control in human mammary epithelial cells. The research aims to better understand how the space environment can alter endocrine regulation of these cellular processes. This...
This $149,931 grant was awarded by NASA to the University of Arizona to study how spaceflight can lead to immune system dysregulation, potentially increasing the risk of viral reactivation and hematological malignancies for future space explorers. The University of Arizona, a public research institution and land grant university located in Tucson, Arizona, has extensive capabilities across scientific disciplines and frequently collaborates with federal agencies on research projects. This grant...
This is a $140,000 grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Florida State University (FSU) to conduct research on the effects of long-term exposure to the microgravity environment on the cardiovascular and immune systems of astronauts. The research will utilize the hindlimb-unloading rodent model to simulate microgravity conditions and investigate changes in circulatory function, immune system responses, and the potential therapeutic effects of the...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $198,354.38 grant for research to the Regents of the University of Colorado, doing business as the University of Colorado Office of Contracts and Grants Division. This university-led project aims to systematically characterize changes in microbial cell growth dynamics, aggregation, drug resistance, and virulence across simulated micro-, lunar (1/6 g), and Martian (1/3 g) gravity environments. The research will utilize spaceflight...
This is a $2,399,358.99 grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia to conduct research on the health effects of exposure to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). The research aims to better understand the mechanisms by which GCR, particularly its high charge and energy (HZE) particle components, can lead to chronic DNA damage and impairment of DNA repair machinery, which may contribute to increased cancer risk for astronauts on...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded a $170,851.75 grant to the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, doing business as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), a public research university. The grant will fund a research study investigating how space travel and the space environment impact mammary gland development, stem cell populations, and reproductive ability in young adult mice. The study will use novel assays to understand how...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $299,996.00 grant to The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to conduct research aimed at using transcriptomic analyses to determine the gravity-sensitive molecular pathways important for organogenesis. This research aligns with NASA's Space Biology Plan to investigate the effect of the space environment on life and addresses how microgravity impacts tissue morphogenesis and stem cell differentiation....
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded a $298,974.04 grant to the University of Wisconsin - Madison, operating as Research and Sponsored Programs under the University of Wisconsin System, to conduct research on the effects of altered gravity on nuclear morphology and cytoskeletal organization in fibroblasts during parabolic flight. The research will involve culturing cells in specialized hardware to control temperature and humidity, fixing the cells at different...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $299,141.27 grant to the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, doing business as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The grant supports research on how simulated microgravity affects mammary gland development and stem cell function, with a focus on understanding underlying genetic factors and potential cancer risks. This fundamental research aims to address key questions about the physiological...
This is a $2,508,591.16 grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Arizona State University (ASU) to study the long-term, multigenerational effects of microgravity on microbial populations. The research aims to characterize genomic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic changes in the model pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium in response to chronic stress and selective pressures in the spaceflight environment. This grant addresses two key research emphases from NASA's...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $150,000 grant to the University of Arizona (doing business as the Arizona Board of Regents) to conduct research on the effects of simulated microgravity on the anti-tumor activity of human natural killer (NK) cells and gamma-delta T (GD-T) cells in a humanized mouse model. The goal is to determine if impaired immune system function during long-duration spaceflight could increase cancer and viral infection risks for exploration mission crews. The research will also evaluate the effectiveness of using interleukin-2 and zoledronic acid as potential countermeasures to mitigate the impacts of microgravity on NK and GD-T cell function. This grant-funded project does not have a set-aside designation and was awarded on July 15, 2019 with a completion date of July 14, 2020.