National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research 2001 Program Solicitation
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B1.01 Exploiting Gravitational Effects for Combustion,
Fluids, Synthesis, and Vibration Technology
B1.02 Gravitational Effects on Biotechnology and Materials
Sciences
B1.03 Biomolecular Systems, Devices and Technologies
The Biological and Physical Research (BPR) Enterprise is taking advantage of the space environment which offers a unique laboratory to study biological, chemical and physical processes. Researchers will take advantage of this environment to conduct experiments in the biological and physical sciences that are impossible on Earth. BPR also seeks to engage the commercial sector in exploiting the economic benefits of the cross-disciplinary physical sciences. In this topic, cross-disciplinary research and enabling technology is sought to understand the effects of gravity on the physical sciences as well as in the area of vibration isolation/measurement technology. This research and technology will provide the basic foundation to integrate our understanding of the role of gravity in the evolution, development and function of living organisms, and in biological and physical processes. BPR is also taking advantage of revolutionary advances in the biomolecular community by conducting basic research to develop breakthrough technologies which will result in prototype biomolecular micro- and nano-systems for the detection, imaging, recognition and monitoring of biological signatures and processes at the molecular level.
The objective of this research is to deliver new technology in the form of devices, models, and/or instruments of use in microgravity and/or for commercial applications on Earth for:
NASA has interest in experiments that utilize the influence of microgravity on biotechnology processes and materials science to understand physical, chemical, and biological processes. Areas of interest include protein crystal growth and structural analysis techniques, separation science and technology, biomaterials, polymeric materials, advanced electronic and photonic materials, as well as metals and alloys, and glass and ceramic materials technology. Other areas of interest relate to microgravity processing approaches such as containerless processing and advanced thermal processing techniques. Methods for conducting science and technology research required to enable humans to safely and effectively live and work in space are needed. Innovation is sought in the following research areas and in their enabling technologies, including potential commercial applications on Earth:
Biotechnology
Materials Science
In this subtopic, NASA recognizes that biomolecular approaches promise to enable lightweight, convenient, and highly focused therapies. Three key technologies form the cornerstones of NASA's Biomolecular Systems Program: nanotechnology, information technology, and biotechnology. Investment in these fast-moving fields will provide leading edge advances in health care that will benefit humans on Earth and in space. The program conducts basic research and develops breakthrough technologies to deliver prototype biomolecular micrometer and nanometer scale systems for the detection, imaging, recognition and monitoring of biological signatures and processes at the molecular level. This research program will support NASA's medical, diagnostic, and clinical objectives for long-duration space flight, including commercial applications on Earth.
Biomolecular Sensor and Effectors
Emerging technology for micrometer and nanometer scale materials fabrication,
manipulation, and characterization enables a new range of technological possibilities.
Of particular interest are techniques for miniaturizing biochemical analysis
instruments that can interact with life and its constituents at the molecular
scale. One of the NASA goals is to seek out and identify biochemicals in minute
concentrations in the human body and in extraterrestrial settings. Initially,
these microscopic devices, engineered on the molecular scale, will function
primarily to gather data about their environment, with the ultimate goal of
actively responding to threats to astronaut health (e.g., by killing tumor cells
or by targeted delivery of medication).
Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology has enabled numerous innovative methods to miniaturize biomedical instruments. Microfluidic platforms are essential to the goals of detecting molecular signatures of real-time biological activities in the human body. Finally, investigations of nanoscale materials, such as carbon nano-tubes, and their fabrication techniques are needed to develop biochemical devices with new capabilities with implications beyond miniaturization.
Areas of Technology Development
Biomolecular Imaging
Cellular structures and functions are a marvel in architecture, engineering,
and programming. Currently there are various imaging techniques which allow
us to obtain concentration variations, map compositions, and monitor transport
and transduction mechanisms. Cellular biologists now use molecular imaging to
localize and image which biological molecules are where inside a cell and its
structures. In addition to where, we can also image when molecules are produced
to track temporal changes in cell metabolism. Current technologies for molecular
imaging in cellular biology would include the following: FISH, GFP, MRI and
spectral techniques that allow spectrally multiplexed probes. Atomic, chemical
force microscopies, carbon nanotube and proximal probes are all examples of
new approaches to resolving molecular structure at a small enough scale to image
individual atoms. Photon based imaging from infrared to x-ray, PET, MRI, NSOM,
STM/AFM, photo-acoustic imaging, IR spectral imaging are just some examples
of imaging techniques. Innovation is sought in the following:
Biosignatures
Fundamental to the success of the NASA goals is the ability to identify biosignatures
to distinguish life from non-life on a planetary scale. Life is a thermodynamic
enigma - seemingly violating thermodynamic laws by decreasing entropy. This
ability comes from its ability to extract energy from the environment and use
this energy to build structures and establish chemistries that are decidedly
out of equilibrium. The combination of structural and chemical disequilibria,
along with the resulting changes in the environment due to consumption and production
of materials make the search for life rather straightforward - utilizing thermodynamics
and kinetics. Search over a variety of scales for structures, measure the chemistry
of these structures, and search for metabolites that are disappearing or accumulating
on a variety of time scales. Using such an approach, we imagine that life can
be sought in a wide variety of environments, including the human body, simply
by making simple measurements and asking the right questions of the data. NASA
requires technology for in situ life detection that will provide a springboard
for the use of similar approaches for detection of "unhealthy" subjects,
be they unhealthy due to bacterial or viral infections, or malignancies. From
this perspective, one can readily identify specific methods and approaches that
will be used in astrobiology (things to be measured, statistical approaches,
data handling and analyses, etc.), and how they might be adapted to laboratory,
environmental, and in situ studies of life detection, and eventually to laboratory
and clinical methods of diagnosis.
Areas of Technology Development
Biomolecular Signal Amplification
The ability to detect weak signals emitted from molecular interactions has always
been a challenge for molecular biologists. Such signals highlight numerous important
interactions such as antigen-antibody associations and nucleic acid hybridization
reactions. These interactions are often used as assays to detect molecular indicators
of disease pathology. As such, increasing sensitivity of these assays without
compromising accuracy is of utmost importance. Traditionally, signal amplification
in molecular biology has been achieved by one of two approaches- either amplification
of the molecule to be detected or intensifying the signal from the detector
molecule. Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is an example
of the former. In RT-PCR, one makes a DNA copy of a low copy number transcript
to be detected, then amplifies the number of molecules by PCR before detecting
the products. To illustrate increasing the signal from a detection molecule,
consider the use of labeled secondary antibodies to enhance signal from primary
antibody binding. While these techniques have improved detection, methods are
still limiting when it comes to detecting molecules in very small quantity or
in single copy. More recent examples include catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD),
branched DNA signal amplification assays and Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer
(FRET).
Areas of Technology Development
Nano/Quantum Devices
Nanostructure science and technology is a broad and interdisciplinary area of
research and development activity that has been growing explosively in the past
few years. It has the potential for revolutionizing the ways in which materials
and devices are created and the range and nature of functionalities that can
be accessed. Nanodevices or devices based on quantum effects have the potential
for higher performance at lower volume, weight, and power consumption.
Areas of Technology Development
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