Project Grant NNX12AN71G

This $1.5 million Project Grant from the National Science Foundation Office of International Science and Engineering (NSF OISE) will fund the development of a climate-resilient and sustainable food production system utilizing controlled environment hydroponic agriculture with novel wastewater treatment and reuse technologies. Led by Clemson University in collaboration with universities in South Korea, the award will support five key activities over a two-year period from January 2023 to December...

This $2,649,927 project grant awarded by the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) aims to develop small-scale, self-sufficient biomanufacturing capabilities using engineered plant cells, plant embryos, and fast-growing aquatic plants as production platforms. The "Engineered Plants in Culture (EPIC)" project will address three key research challenges: 1) engineering plant cell lines for improved bioproduction and downstream processing, 2) recycling plant...

Just Greens LLC, doing business as Aerofarms, received a $594,974 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. The award funds research into implementing ratooning, a proven technique allowing one root and stem system to produce multiple harvests, in the indoor production of leafy greens. Phase I of the project studied...

Heliponix LLC, a for-profit limited liability company, received a $175,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212) to develop a rotary aeroponic shipping container system. This system is designed to hold approximately 3,700 plants at a density of 23 plants per square foot, using vertical LED arrays, aeroponic mist, and soilless, compostable seed pods to...

The University of North Dakota Division of Research & Economic Development will conduct research on human factor analysis of space crop cultivation methods and interactions under a $470,368 cooperative agreement from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Stem Engagement (OSTEM). The three-year award beginning May 16, 2023 aims to advance NASA's goals of expanding understanding of the universe through STEM education and research related to future space...

This $749,577 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) project grant awarded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (CFDA 10.310) to Purdue University will address key research and outreach objectives related to the use of vertical indoor propagation (VIP) systems for starting young plants. The project aims to: Model the energy requirements for VIP systems, Develop recommendations to reduce plant shrinkage and improve growth in VIP systems by evaluating light, quality, and...

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $100,000 cooperative agreement to the West Virginia University Research Corporation under the Office of Stem Engagement (OSTEM) program (CFDA 43.008). The two-year award will support research into developing transgenic plants that can selectively extract toxic heavy metals from Mars-like soils to produce edible food crops. Understanding plant adaptability to simulated extraterrestrial environments will help NASA researchers...

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded The Ohio State University a $3,773,807 project grant under the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) program on September 15, 2022 to complete the work by September 14, 2026. The grant aims to advance controlled environment agriculture through data-driven decision making and workforce development. Specifically, the university and three sub-awardees - Rutgers University, University of Arizona, and Cornell University - will...

This $400,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET), under CFDA 47.041 Engineering program, will fund The Johns Hopkins University to develop engineered heart tissue chips for testing nanoparticle-based countermeasures against spaceflight-induced heart disease. The research aims to investigate whether nanoparticles designed to scavenge reactive oxygen species can prevent mitochondrial...

This $600,969 Project Grant award from the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (CFDA 10.310 - Agriculture and Food Research Initiative) supports the development of an "Electroponics" system for the precision delivery of water and agrichemicals to crops. The project aims to address challenges posed by climate change and population growth, including water scarcity and inefficient agrichemical application, through an interdisciplinary...