NSF/CASIS Collaboration on Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology on the International Space Station (ISS) to Benefit Life on Earth | 24 502

Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 502

This National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity, run in partnership with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), supports research projects in tissue engineering and mechanobiology that make deliberate use of the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory. The core idea is to take advantage of the ISS environment to study how living tissues and cells grow, organize, and respond to physical forces in ways that are difficult or sometimes impossible to replicate on Earth. While the experiments occur in low Earth orbit, the program is explicitly framed around outcomes that will benefit life on Earth, meaning proposals should clearly connect ISS-based studies to tangible advances in biomedical engineering, biomanufacturing, regenerative medicine, or fundamental mechanobiology with clear terrestrial relevance.

The solicitation is housed within NSF Engineering, specifically through two divisions: Chemical, Bioengineering and Environmental Transport (CBET) and Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI). That division pairing signals the program is looking for engineering-driven projects, not only biological observation. Competitive projects are likely to feature strong quantitative approaches, robust experimental design, and a clear rationale for why the ISS is necessary or uniquely enabling. In tissue engineering, this can include work related to engineered tissues, organoids, scaffolds, biomaterials, or advanced cell culture systems where gravity-driven effects on sedimentation, convection, and fluid behavior can influence tissue structure and function. In mechanobiology, the emphasis is on how mechanical cues and physical forces regulate cell behavior, differentiation, signaling, and tissue formation, where the microgravity environment can act as a powerful perturbation to isolate and understand specific mechanical pathways.

This is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 24-502) categorized under science and technology research and development. NSF anticipates making about four awards. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically means the ceiling is not specified in the synopsis and applicants must consult the full solicitation for budget expectations, limits, and any special cost rules. The original closing date for proposals was March 15, 2024, and the opportunity record indicates it was created October 27, 2023. The CFDA (assistance listing) numbers associated with the opportunity are 43.007 and 47.041, reflecting its alignment with federal research assistance categories used for reporting and grants management.

Eligibility is noted as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," and there is one highly specific requirement tied to ISS National Lab utilization: participants must qualify as "U.S. Persons" under 22 U.S. Code 6010. In practical terms, that means the proposing and participating entities must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or U.S.-organized corporations, partnerships, or other organizations formed under U.S. law. This requirement is common for activities involving access to spaceflight resources and controlled technologies, and it is meant to ensure compliance with U.S. legal and regulatory frameworks governing space station utilization.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted NSF-CASIS collaboration meant to push tissue engineering and mechanobiology forward by using the ISS as a specialized research platform. Proposals are expected to be anchored in strong engineering and scientific questions, make a convincing case for why the ISS environment is integral to the work, and translate what is learned in space into benefits on Earth, such as improved models of tissue development, new strategies for growing or manufacturing complex tissues, or deeper understanding of how mechanical environments shape biology in health and disease.

• 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 Oct 27, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 15, 2024. (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 24 502

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