Under current NASA plans, investigations in the area of biotechnology will be a significant component of the life sciences research to be conducted on the International Space Station (ISS). They encompass work on cell science and studies of the use of microgravity to grow high-quality protein crystals. Both these subdisciplines are advancing rapidly in terrestrial laboratories, fueled by federal and industrial research budgets that dwarf those of NASA's life science program. Forging strong and fruitful connections between the space investigations and laboratory-bench biologists, a continual challenge for NASA' s life sciences program, is thus of great importance to ensuring the excellence of ISS research.
This report evaluates the plan for NASA's biotechnology facility on the ISS and the scientific context that surrounds it, and makes recommendations on how the facility can be made more effective. In addition to questions about optimizing the instrumentation, the report addresses strategies for enhancing the scientific impact and improving the outreach to mainstream terrestrial biology. No major redirection of effort is called for, but collectively the specific, targeted changes recommended by the task group would have a major effect on the conduct of biotechnology research in space.
- Future Biotechnology Research on the International Space Station
- Copyright
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgment of Reviewers
- Contents
- Executive Summary
- BACKGROUND AND SCIENTIFIC SCOPE OF NASA PROGRAMS
- Protein Crystal Growth
- Cell Science
- INSTRUMENTATION
- Protein Crystal Growth
- Cell Science
- Overall Volume Allotment for Biotechnology Research on the ISS
- SELECTION AND OUTREACH
- Protein Crystal Growth
- Cell Science
- 1 Background and Scientific Scope of NASA Programs
- INTRODUCTION
- PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH
- The Significance of Crystallographic Resolution Limits
- Goals and History of the NASA Protein Crystal Growth Effort
- Results to Date: Examples of Successful Experiments and the Importance of Defining Controls
- Potential Areas of Future Impact
- Potential Benefits of the Space Station Platform
- Potential for Interest from Commercial Entities
- CELL SCIENCE
- Goals and Potential Impacts of the NASA Cell Science Effort
- Experimental Design and Instrumentation
- Requirements for Interprogrammatic Coordination Within NASA
- 2 Instrumentation
- LOGISTICS FOR USING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AS A BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH PLATFORM
- PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH
- The Hardware Development Process
- Key Characteristics of Protein Crystal Growth Hardware on the ISS
- The X-ray Crystallography Facility
- CELL SCIENCE
- Cell and Tissue Culture Hardware
- Experiment Management
- Storage, Transport, and Throughput of Samples
- OVERALL VOLUME ALLOTMENT FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH ON THE ISS
- 3 Selection and Outreach
- SELECTION PROCESS, OUTREACH EFFORTS, AND COMMUNICATION AMONG PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
- Improving the Dissemination of NRAs and NASA Program Results
- Improving the Selection Process
- Improving Connections to Relevant Communities and Attracting the Best Science
- Coordination: Investigators and Operations Personnel
- PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH
- The Guest Investigator Program
- Funding Research on Biologically Challenging Problems
- CELL SCIENCE
- Cooperation with NASA's Life Sciences Division and with Other Federal Agencies
- Resource Management and Communication in Times of Crisis
- Bibliography
- Appendixes
- A Hardware Available or in Development and Schedule for Biotechnology Research on the International Space Station
- HARDWARE FOR PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH IN SPACE
- Basic Apparatus to House Protein Crystal Growth Hardware
- Protein Crystal Growth Hardware
- Devices in Fabrication for in Situ Observation of Crystallization on Orbit
- Devices in Early Definition Phase for in Situ Observation of Crystallization on Orbit
- X-ray Crystallography Facility
- Relevant Support Equipment
- HARDWARE FOR CELL SCIENCE IN SPACE
- Cell and Tissue Culture Hardware in Development for ISS
- Cell Science Support Equipment
- General Support Equipment Relevant to Cell Science Research
- Analytical Equipment
- Miscellaneous
- SCHEDULE
- B Biographical Sketches of Task Group Members
- C Statement of Task
- D Glossary
- E Acronyms and Abbreviations
Text
Audio
Adobe DRM
Login to your account