Integrated Biomarker Diagnostic Systems for Monitoring Astronaut Health

This Research Infrastructure Development proposal brings together a diverse group of young investigators with more-expreienced mentors and NASA collaborators. It has as its goal the development of integrated biomarker diagnostics technologies that enable extended duration human space exploration missions through a multi-investigator collaborative effort. Such missions may include the establishment of a lunar exploration base and a manned mission to Mars. Extended duration missions require efficient managment of astronaut health as well as monitoring of critical physiological parameters that could have serious implications on the performance of the astronauts, and ultimately on the safety and success of a mission. As a part of this proposal, versatile diagnostic systems will be developed to facilitate space medicine applications. These health-monitory systems will integrate (bio)chemical sensing prinicples with a microfluidic platform designed to monitor important health parameters using minimally invasive technoliges (i.e., saliva samples)