I-Corps: Biomimetic Engineered Space Technology Platform

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为学术界和工业界的研究人员设计在地外重力环境(例如，低地球轨道、火星重力或月球重力)中进行的研究提供成本和节省时间。目前，制药公司和学术界(生物、化学、生物工程领域)的研究人员需要一个平台，在将实验发送到国际空间站(ISS)之前，在模拟地外引力中产生可靠和可复制的数据。虽然国际空间站的实验装置规模限制要求在实验中勤奋地优化自变量，但国际空间站的高昂飞行成本和在那里运行实验的一次性机会要求利用已经测试的实验参数在实验执行中取得绝对成功。这项技术提供了时间和成本效益高的解决方案，以克服发射到国际空间站之前的实验准备的缺点。这项核心技术也有潜在的应用，可以改善老年人口和长期不能活动的患者的预后。这一领域的知识创造可以帮助药物开发和康复工作，旨在重振因长期制动而恶化的组织。这个i-Corps项目模拟地外重力，研究三维动态环境中有机和无机材料、细胞、组织和器官的重力敏感机制。支撑该平台的关键技术创新包括能够模拟地球上不同的重力环境，并在原地监测重力。如果有必要，该技术还将能够调节条件，同时为细胞、蛋白质和材料提供现实的培养和加工环境。该平台使用了一种创新的技术，通过独立旋转两个计算机控制的轴，在60-90秒内达到预定的引力状态。放置在设备中的数据采集芯片采集并绘制重力数据，以供用户跟踪/观察重力。这个i-Corps项目的另一个技术创新是，可以在温度、光线和湿度可控的环境中对感兴趣的样品施加各种机械应变，以便在预定义的模拟重力状态下在现实条件下研究样品。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.