Responsible Center: NASA ARC
Grant Monitor: Griko, Yuri
Center Contact: 650-604-0519
Yuri.V.Griko@nasa.gov
Unique ID: 15528
|
Solicitation / Funding Source: 2021 Space Biology NNH21ZDA001N-SBAS E.11: Animal Studies
Grant/Contract No.: 80NSSC23K0784
Project Type: GROUND
Flight Program:
|
No. of Post Docs:
No. of PhD Candidates:
No. of Master's Candidates:
No. of Bachelor's Candidates:
|
No. of PhD Degrees:
No. of Master's Degrees:
No. of Bachelor's Degrees:
|
|
| Space Biology Element: |
(1) Animal Biology: Vertebrate
|
|
| Space Biology Cross-Element Discipline: |
(1) Musculoskeletal Biology
|
|
| Space Biology Special Category: |
None |
|
| Task Description: |
The combined effects of space environmental stressors induce pathologies in multiple organ systems. Specifically, losses to the musculoskeletal system may be very dangerous for the health and performance of astronauts on extended duration missions on the Moon or arriving on Mars. A critical need remains to better understand the impact of radiation exposure, one of the key environmental stressors of deep space, on human and animal physiology to enable extended duration missions beyond low Earth orbit or setting up settlements on the Moon or Mars. There is a critical gap in knowledge surrounding the impact of the space radiation environment on skeletal health and on the progress of fetal skeletal development during pregnancy. The objective of the current proposal is to capitalize on a unique tissue-sharing opportunity to examine the combined effects of continuous radiation exposure and pregnancy on maternal and fetal skeletal physiology. We propose to assess maternal and fetal skeletal physiology through measurements of mineral and material properties, as well as assess changes in cellular dynamics of the maternal bone under the microscope. This study will be critical in assessing how a very harmful component of the space radiation environment impacts multiple aspects of skeletal health, including sex-specific differences and individual variation in the impact of the space environment on the functioning of the body. |
|
| Research Impact/Earth Benefits: |
|
Home
Developed and operated by: NASA Research and Education Support Services