NASA RFI: The identification, cross-validation, and development of countermeasures to mitigate health risks of chronic, low dose rate, space radiation
NASA Request for Information (RFI): The identification, cross-validation, and development of appropriate pharmaceutical and interventional countermeasures to mitigate the human health risks of chronic, low dose rate, space radiation carcinogenesis.
Solicitation Number: 80JSC021L0001
Release Date: October 15, 2020
Response Date: November 16, 2020
The Space Radiation Element (SRE) of the Human Research Program is forming a consortium of interdisciplinary working teams and centers to identify compounds that can mitigate the effects of space radiation induced carcinogenesis in astronauts through the processing of large scale, high throughput, small molecule, FDA approved, developmental, and derivative pharmaceutical libraries. Appropriate compounds should be considered safe enough to be taken prophylactically by astronauts both during and post-mission to reduce the risk of space radiation induced carcinogenesis without the potential for disqualifying side effects either during mission or later in life. Initial efforts are planned to involve the large-scale screening of FDA approved, investigational new drug (IND), and derivative libraries across a host of normal in vitro cell types. This process is intended to narrow the number of potential compounds to a smaller cohort to be made available for cross-validation in vitro for radio-protection and radio-mitigation. An effective countermeasure suite may comprise multiple compounds/approaches as part of an integrated medical countermeasures suite to be operationalized by the year 2030. For the purpose of this call, the SRE is seeking nominations either for individuals, teams, centers, or interdisciplinary working groups to take part in a virtual workshop early in calendar year 2021 and provide expertise in the following areas:
· Radiation biology
· Radiation Carcinogenesis
· High Throughput Drug Screening
· Translational Therapeutic Biology
· Pharmacology
· Organic Chemistry and Drug Design/Modification
· Systems Biology
· Informatics/Predictive Medicine
· Biomedical Engineering and Human Model Design
· Cardiovascular function and disease
· Central nervous system function and disease
· Neurocognitive function and disease
Nominations by individuals or teams who submitted responses to the previous RFI on countermeasures will be considered in conjunction with their previous response and should feel free to expand on details previously provided. In addition to capabilities on infrastructure for drug screening, responders are encouraged to provide information on relevant cell and human tissue models that could be leveraged (i.e. collections of different cell types of varying radiosentivities that could be integrated into existing drug screening infrastructure approaches).
The response period for this call is approximately four weeks. This call for nominations will provide the Space Radiation Element Scientist the opportunity to invite nominees to take part in a virtual workshop early in calendar year 2021 to develop the strategy and recommended studies for the initial phase of infrastructure development and compound screening. This initial phase plan will be peer reviewed and is planned to begin work in the second half of calendar year 2021. These studies will form the foundation of a broader countermeasure strategy.
Interested researchers are encouraged to recruit valuable individuals who are not part of the currently funded NASA community to nominate themselves as well. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/21RFISRNom
