The International Space Station National Laboratory (ISS National Lab) and NASA announced a new solicitation, the National Lab Research Announcement (NLRA), which will offer up to $4 million spread out over two to three awards for projects that leverage the space environment and technology to develop therapies for diseases on Earth.

The joint solicitation focuses on projects that provide enhanced models to study the onset and progression of diseases and address population and disease heterogeneity, drug screening and development, drug delivery, like nanotechnology, and drug resistance and toxicity.

The pair is seeking projects that focus on creating therapies for cancer, immune, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and muscle and bone diseases. 

The NLRA notes that disease models can be accelerated in microgravity using the ISS National Lab’s resources and, therefore, can mitigate many of the challenges often faced with translating research findings into clinical applications.

“Space-based research has a long history of contributing to advancements on Earth,” Lisa Carnell, director of NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences division, said in a statement.

“Continuing the Igniting Innovation solicitation could contribute to the next big leap in disease therapies. We are excited to collaborate with the ISS National Lab on this endeavor to help address some of the biggest health challenges facing the world today.” 

The solicitation opened on Aug. 15 and closes on March 3, 2025. 

THE LARGER TREND

Another organization funding projects for space health research to improve disease treatments on Earth is the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH). 

TRISH’s Catalyst Grant Program is a continuous open call for proposals from organizations developing technology for space health that address critical needs, advance concepts with positive preliminary findings and include innovative projects outside of the scope of the organization’s usual solicitations. 

Other companies working with NASA on health technology research projects in space include Elon Musk’s SpaceX, medical video game company LevelEx and virtual reality-based mental health company XRHealth.