HRR - Gap - IM-201: Based on immune dysfunction biomarkers identified in Scientific Objective 1, identify, develop, and implement in-flight immune function monitoring tools for support of research during Gateway, Lunar, and Mars missions.

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IM-201: Based on immune dysfunction biomarkers identified in Scientific Objective 1, identify, develop, and implement in-flight immune function monitoring tools for support of research during Gateway, Lunar, and Mars missions.

Last Published: 07/30/21 01:05:31 PM (Central)

Responsible Element: Human Health Countermeasures (HHC)

Status: Open

Description

Present state of knowledge: While development of clinical diagnostic tools for exploration missions is under the purview of HRP’s Exploration Medical Capabilities Element (ExMC), there is also an interest to have the capability to monitor subclinical immune changes that while not clinically actionable have an impact on growing our knowledge of immune function under deep-space conditions, as well as on monitoring countermeasure effectiveness. At present, there is little to no medical laboratory analysis capability on board ISS, and there have been many unsuccessful attempts to develop microgravity-compatible blood analysis capability. The recently validated biomolecule sequencer may afford the capability to monitor reactivation of latent herpes viruses during space flight. Several instruments in development by space agencies or commercial providers may soon be available to provide blood analysis. These include the SBIR-developed rHEALTH instrument, and the Canadian Space Agency’s BIO-A/Power-Blade efforts.

Research approach: Identify commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices that can support immune function testing in-flight so that bio-samples do not need to be stored and returned to Earth for analysis post-mission. If no such devices are available in the commercial market, develop such technology as an exploration-forward effort. Because our focus is on subclinical immune changes that are not necessarily clinically-actionable, such devices will likely not overlap with the traditional clinical lab equipment that will be in use by MedOps during exploration missions. COTS devices might be available but may need to be miniaturized for flight.

Target for Closure

Clinically-validated immune function monitoring tools for in-mission use.

Mappings

Risk of Adverse Health Event Due to Altered Immune Response

Active

MinION Viral Detection

Task Book: Entry Unavailable
Principal Investigator: Crucian, Brian

Short Title: MinION

Responsible HRP Element: Human Health Countermeasures

Collaborating Org(s):

Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element

Funding Status: Active - Currently funded and in progress

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:
1. Develop flight compatible sample processing protocols using technology already onboard ISS (or compatible with Gateway) to enable MinION to assay virus DNA in saliva samples.

2. Validate the developed technology against the terrestrial standard assay. The standard is the qPCR assay which has been used for several ISS investigations. This will be accomplished for each relevant virus, via parallel analysis of saliva samples spiked with increasing concentrations of virus DNA

3. Conducts a population survey of at least 20 'normal' subjects. Since shedding of latent herpesviruses is minimal in healthy control subjects, parallel testing may also be performed for higher incidence subjects or patients, as samples are available via our existing suite of ground and flight investigations. This should be permissible as for each parent study, the determination of virus DNA was contained in the original approved proposal.

Resources (None Listed)

Deliverables (1)

Category: Technology or Tool
Subcategory: Systems Solutions, Prototype Hardware or Software

Description:
This is an assay development activity necessary to enable planned countermeasures studies in Antartica and onboard ISS. It is not hypothesis based research, However a hypothesis equivalent would state that we believe adaptation of existing ISS-compatible sample processing technology can be successfully be adapted to extract and amplify DNA from saliva, such that the MinION could detect, identify and quantify the presence of virus DNA.

The developed method and hardware would then be readily available for use during ground and ISS countermeasures studies.

Internal Customers:
None External Customers:
Gateway Program
HRP, HHC,
International Space Station (ISS)
Is a Customer-Supplier Agreement (CSA) Required? No

Validation of Multisystem Countermeasures Protocol for Spaceflight during Antarctica Winterover @ Palmer Station

Task Book: Entry Unavailable
Principal Investigator: Crucian, Brian

Short Title: Immune CM Validation – Palmer

Responsible HRP Element: Human Health Countermeasures

Collaborating Org(s):

Funding Status: Active - Currently funded and in progress

Procurement Mechanism(s):

Directed

Aims:
1. To determine if the complete immune countermeasure protocol developed for spaceflight ameliorates the effect of coastal Antarctica winterover, as a relevant ground-analog for deep space missions, on salivary stress hormones, salivary cytokine profiles, and the incidence of latent herpesvirus reactivation and shedding.

2. To determine if the complete immune countermeasure protocol mitigates the perturbations to the immune system caused by an Antarctic winter-over mission. Specifically, we will determine if the countermeasure prevents fluctuations in phenotype frequency and depression in cellular function (T, NK, B, monocytes, dendritic). The concentrations of a variety of other factors associated with immunity, including relevant nutritional analytes, markers of oxidative damage, and inflammation, will also be monitored.

Resources (Ground Analog)

Deliverables (1)

Multi-Disciplinary Research Plans

Documentation:

No Documentation Available

Related Gaps (11)

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Risk Approach Plans (1)

NASA Developer: Daniel Febus Responsible NASA Official: Susan Torney Contact HRP for a 508 compliant PDF Budgets, Strategic Plans, and Accountability Reports Equal Employment Opportunity Data Posted Pursuant to the No Fear Act Information-Dissemination Policies and Inventories Freedom of Information Act President's Management Agenda Privacy Policy & Important Notices Inspector General Hotline Contact HRP Human Health and Performance DIR Johnson Space Center USA.gov ExpectMore.gov

Ground-Based Flight Analogs	ICE Field Analog, Long Duration (4 months or more) – isolated, confined and extreme; may not have spaceflight mission scenario [e.g., Antarctica]
Number of Subjects	15

Common Item(s)
	Risk of Adverse Health Event Due to Altered Immune Response