NSF/CASIS Collaboration on Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology on the International Space Station (ISS) to Benefit Life on Earth | 23 522

Opportunity Information: Apply for 23 522

The NSF/CASIS Collaboration on Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology on the International Space Station (ISS) to Benefit Life on Earth (Funding Opportunity Number 23-522) is a discretionary National Science Foundation grant program that supports science and engineering research using the ISS National Laboratory as a research platform. It is run through NSF's Engineering Directorate, specifically the Divisions of Chemical, Bioengineering and Environmental Transport (CBET) and Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Infrastructure (CMMI), in partnership with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the organization that manages access to the ISS National Lab for U.S. national laboratory users. The overall purpose is to fund research projects in tissue engineering and mechanobiology that take advantage of the space environment to generate knowledge and technology with clear benefits for health, medicine, and bioengineering applications on Earth.

At its core, the opportunity is aimed at investigators who want to use conditions available on the ISS, especially microgravity, to study how biological tissues form, organize, and respond to physical forces. Tissue engineering and mechanobiology both deal with how cells behave in three-dimensional environments and how mechanical cues (like shear, stretch, compression, stiffness, and fluid forces) influence cell fate, tissue structure, and function. On Earth, gravity-driven effects such as sedimentation, buoyancy-driven convection, and weight-bearing forces can complicate experiments and influence how cells assemble into tissues. The ISS environment can reduce or remove some of those confounding factors, potentially enabling experiments that are difficult to replicate on the ground and offering a different window into fundamental biology and materials-tissue interactions. The solicitation is framed around using that unique setting in a way that translates back into improvements for life on Earth, such as better tissue models for disease research, improved biomaterials, enhanced understanding of tissue regeneration, or new insights into how mechanical forces shape biological development and repair.

The funding instrument for this program is a grant, and it is categorized under science and technology and other research and development. The listing indicates an expected number of awards of about four, suggesting a relatively selective competition focused on a small set of strong projects that are well matched to ISS capabilities and constraints. The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the source data, which usually means the maximum award amount is not specified in that particular summary field and applicants would need to consult the full solicitation or NSF guidance for budget expectations, allowable costs, and any ISS integration or flight-related considerations.

Eligibility has a key restriction tied to use of the ISS National Lab: to utilize the ISS through this solicitation, participating entities must qualify as "U.S. Persons" as defined in U.S. law (22 U.S. Code section 76010). In practical terms, that includes U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and U.S.-organized corporations, partnerships, or other organizations formed under U.S. law. The public-facing eligibility category is listed broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which signals that while NSF competitions often include universities and non-profits, this particular effort may allow a wider range of U.S.-based organizations as long as they meet the U.S. Person requirement and any other NSF and CASIS conditions. Because ISS work typically involves specialized hardware, safety review, and mission integration, teams often need the operational readiness and partnerships to carry a project from concept to flight, so the program is effectively looking for applicants who can propose strong science and also demonstrate a credible plan to execute within the ISS National Lab environment.

Administratively, the opportunity was created on December 1, 2022, with an original closing date of March 6, 2023. The program is associated with CFDA numbers 43.007 and 47.041, reflecting its connection to both space station-related research pathways and NSF research funding streams. In short, the program is a joint NSF and CASIS effort to fund a small portfolio of U.S.-led projects that use the ISS as a tool to push forward tissue engineering and mechanobiology, with an explicit expectation that the results will translate into tangible scientific or technological benefits on Earth.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF/CASIS Collaboration on Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology on the International Space Station (ISS) to Benefit Life on Earth" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.007, 47.041.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 01, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 06, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 23 522

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