I-Corps: Biomimetic Engineered Space Technology Platform

Award ID: 2132369

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to provide cost reduction and time-saving for researchers in academia and industry in designing studies to be conducted in an extraterrestrial gravity environment (e.g., low-Earth orbit, Martian gravity, or lunar gravity). Currently, pharmaceutical companies and researchers in academia (biology, chemistry, bioengineering fields) need a platform for producing reliable and replicable data in simulated extraterrestrial gravity before sending the experiments to the International Space Station (ISS). While the experimental set-up size limitation at ISS requires diligent optimization of independent variables in experiments, the high flight cost to the ISS and one-time opportunity in running experiments there necessitates absolute success in experimental execution with already tested experimental parameters. This technology provides time and cost effective solutions to overcome the shortcomings of experimental preparations prior to launching to the ISS. This core technology also has potential applications for improving outcomes for elderly populations and patients with prolonged immobility. The creation of knowledge in this area can benefit drug development and rehabilitation efforts aimed at revitalizing deteriorating tissues caused by prolonged immobilization. This I-Corps project simulates extraterrestrial gravity to study the gravity-sensitive mechanisms of organic and inorganic materials, cells, tissues, and organs in a three-dimensional dynamic environment. The key technical innovations underpinning the platform involve being able to mimic a varying gravitational environment on Earth and monitor the gravitational forces in situ. It necessary, the technology will also be able to modulate conditions while providing realistic culturing and processing environments for cells, proteins, and materials. The platform uses an innovative technique to reach a pre-defined gravitational state in 60-90 seconds by independently rotating two computer-controlled axes. The data acquisition chip placed in the device collects and plots the gravity data for a user to track/observe the gravitational force. Another technical innovation of this I-Corps project is that various mechanical strains can be applied to the sample of interest in a temperature, light, and humidity-controlled environment to study the samples in realistic conditions under a pre-defined, simulated gravitational state. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman