Description: The objective of this project is to develop, test, and verify the functionality of a fully automated cell culture apparatus that will allow for the growth of three-dimensional (3-D) cultures in microgravity. The development of a fully automated 3-D cell culture apparatus for microgravity is important because these 3-D cell cultures can be used to accurately model fully differentiated normal human tissue for the study of the effects of radiation and other non-radiation space environment stressors on multiple biological processes. Additionally, the 3-D organotypic cultures can provide a realistic model for the evaluation of countermeasures such as drug delivery. The long-term objective of this work is to develop an automated cell culture apparatus that can be used to efficiently study the growth of 3-D cell cultures aboard the International Space Station.

Benefits: Three-dimensional human tissue cell culture models in microgravity helps us to understand radiation effects such as DNA damage repair, as well as the combined effects of radiation with other space flight stressors, for future crewed NASA missions.