The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) at Baylor College of Medicine is funded by NASA along with consortium partners at the California Institute of Technology and MIT. TRISH seeks and funds high risk, high reward, exceptional, and efficient solutions to protect human health in space. TRISH is looking for proposers to present new emerging scientific and biomedical research advances, disruptive technologies, and engineering capabilities.
The solicitation titled “Biomedical Research Advances for Space Health” (BRASH 1901) released by TRISH on December 17, 2018 is now open and suggested topics of interest include:
- Ophthalmic imaging as a means of assessing overall health
- Physical health surveillance of astronauts on deep space missions
- Enriched spaceflight environments for behavioral health
- Augmented medical knowledge and guidance on deep-space missions
- Personalized detection of space radiation-induced biological damage
The physical health surveillance of astronauts involved in deep space missions is important since deep space environment is not able to provide medical evacuation if needed or if support from Earth is not feasible.
TRISH envisions a comprehensive smart health sensing matrix composed of integrated and validated sensors able to detect evidenced-based indicator of health and human performance. A
Smart Health Sensing Matrix (SHSM) would contain multiple components including a suite of contact and non-contact sensors, a sophisticated software platform for integration, analytics, artificial intelligence, and audience-specific user interfaces.
“Just in Time” medications are vital in space, so TRISH is soliciting proposals that develop or test capabilities to manufacture medication in real-time during deep space exploration missions. In space there may be the need to manufacture therapeutics on demand. If required to manufacture therapeutics on demand, platforms such as 3D printing, precision compounding, bioreactors, or lyophilized cell extracts could possibly be used.
All institutions and companies are eligible to submit proposals. Principal investigators may collaborate with universities, the private sector, and federal, state, and local government laboratories.
A pre-proposal webinar will be presented on January 30, 2019. First round of proposals are due February 14, 2019, with the second round of proposals are due April 30, 2019. The estimated selection announcement is expected to be October 2019.
Go to https://www.bcm.edu/centers/space-medicine/translational-research-institute/funding for more information on the BRASH 1901 funding announcement.
Go to https://www.bcm.edu/centere/space-medicine/translational-researchinstitute for more information on TRISH.