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Current and On-going Solicitations
The Translational Research Institute for Space Health offers multiple funding mechanisms with variable solicitation methods, funding amounts, durations and review cycles. TRISH's research priorities include commercial space health research (EXPAND), medical system architecture (HERMES) and tissues-chips (SENTINEL). View our current solicitations below.
EXPAND Exploratory Studies
TRISH is seeking scientific studies for potential implementation in commercial spaceflight. This solicitation is part of TRISH’s EXPAND Program. Working with commercial spaceflight providers and their passengers, EXPAND collects pre-, in-, and post-flight health data from multiple commercial spaceflights.
Proposals for this solicitation focuses on two topics:
- Exploratory Science: This topic seeks new hypothesis-driven scientific studies to enable safe and successful human space travel.
- Technology Demonstrations: This topic seeks successful, mature ground technologies or interventions that would benefit from demonstration in spaceflight.
A pre-proposal webinar for this solicitation will be held on March 19 at 2 p.m. ET. Register here.
The deadline to submit Step-1 proposals for this solicitation is April 16, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Remote Biomarker Measurements in Microphysiological Systems
TRISH is seeking proposals to advance remote biomarker analysis capabilities in microphysiological systems (MPS), also known as tissue chips, for space exploration. This solicitation aims to support innovative solutions to improve in-situ measurement technologies for use during future deep space missions, where traditional sample return back to Earth may not be feasible.
Proposals will focus on technologies capable of analyzing a wide range of biomarkers, bioindicators or biosignatures without requiring sample return. TRISH is prioritizing methods that are non-invasive, that do not destroy the sample, and allow for data collection over multiple timepoints separated by days or weeks. Such systems should be adaptable and not restricted to specific laboratory setups. In addition to biomarkers, proposers may address environmental factors, cell function, and tissue health in advanced biological constructs.
By advancing tissue chip technology, TRISH aims for a new way to gather personalized astronaut data without needing a human to tend the samples.
The deadline to submit proposals has been extended to 11:59 p.m. ET on March 13, 2025.
The Catalyst Grants Program
TRISH's Catalyst Grant Program offers a streamlined method for carrying out proof-of-concept projects, directed technology developments that address critical needs in space health, maturation of promising concepts with strong preliminary findings, and innovative projects that present opportunities outside of regularly scheduled solicitation cycles.
Any project that addresses the NASA Human Research Roadmap (HRR) and the TRISH initiatives may be proposed. However, TRISH has identified three topic areas of high interest, each encompassing several sub-topics.
Proposals addressing these subjects will receive higher priority:
- Advancing technology to support remote crew health and performance monitoring
- Advancing remote healthcare knowledge base
- Advancing remote research capabilities
Tier 1 projects are a maximum total amount less than $150,000 and limited to one year. Tier 2 projects can reach a total amount of greater than or equal to $150,000 for up to two years.
International Collaborations
As a federally funded institute, TRISH supports research projects led by investigators currently at U.S.-based institutions. However, to foster an environment for collaboration, TRISH encourages international investigators and organizations to connect by adding themselves to our Researchers Open to Collaboration document. There, you can find potential collaborators as well as add your name, institution and contact information for other potential collaborations with the wider space biomedical community.
Subscribe to the TRISH Newsletter for future funding opportunities.
