is a non-regulatory agency in the Technology Administration of the US Department of Commerce. NIH/NASA Meeting on Space-Related Health Research Mission … Mission … to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life Willie E. May, Director Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory National Institute of Standards and Technology World-leading measurement science and standards program ~1,400 technical staff including ~700 PhD scientists and engineers Partnerships with industry, academia, and other government agencies have been an integral part of NIST culture since 1901.

NIST’s Role as a Federal Partner in the Biosciences Rapid advances in the biosciences Innovation NIST’s can play a critical role by leveraging its vast expertise in the quantitative physical and informational sciences to provide the measurement infrastructure to underpin innovation in the biosciences and health-related areas.

NIST has a Wide Variety of Relevant Strengths and Measurement Capabilities… For example: Rigorous application of physical sciences to biological problems and biotechnology –Biocatalysis, structural biology, molecular mechanisms, bioimaging, biospectroscopy, bio MEMS, biomaterials metrology, computational modeling and informatics Chemical Measurement Science –chemical composition measurements, (bio)separation science, biothermophysical/chemical property measurements and data, surface and micro/nano analysis science, chemistry and biochemistry, computational chemistry, process measurement and sensing technology, Materials Science –quantitative biomaterials characterization, cell metrology, tissue engineering, cold neutron imaging, self-assembly mechanisms, material biocompatability, polymer-based composites for medical applications, mechanical property metrology for biological systems Medical Physics –Standards for diagnostics and therapeutic radiology, biological structure characterization using advanced spectroscopies Standards Development and Deployment

Current Astrobiology-Related Research Collaborations with NASA Mars Organic Analyser: Mars Organic Analyser: NIST developed chiral thermal gradient focusing technique for the ultra- sensitive, in situ measurement of biomarkers NASA Messenger and NASA Nugget: NASA Messenger and NASA Nugget: NIST provided instrument expertise in instrument development calibration and to ensure data quality from measurements in space. Focusing Lens Nanotube characterization Nanotube characterization and quality assurance for production and use in space crafts 580 mm Mars Oxygen Liquefier Mars Oxygen Liquefier prototype was developed at NIST to liquefy oxygen on Mars.

Current Areas of Space-Related “Life” Research Mars Organic Analyzer - detection of current or past life on Mars NIST role: measurement technology innovation, ultra-metrology and reliability –Novel microfluidic device has a portable platform –Ultra sensitive, insitu analysis of biomarkers –Uses chiral temperature gradient focusing invented at NIST return

Current Areas of Space-Related “Life” Research NASA Messenger – multielemental mapping of the surface of Mercury in search for signs of life –NIST role: High tech calibration of critical gamma ray detector to measure gamma ray emission resulting from capture of cosmic-ray induced neutrons in the planet’s crust NASA NUGGET – developed to look at life in space –NIST role: Provide measurement expertise and world class instrumentation: a specialized focusing beam developed at NIST and NIST’s Prompt-gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) Spectrometer NASA’s Principal Investigator Sam Floyd and a NIST/NASA team tested the NUGGET concept at NIST return

Current Areas of Space-Related “Life” Research Nanotube characterization and quality assurance for production and use in space crafts –Health applications – medical device, sensor etc –ESH, toxicity issues NIST role: develop methodologies to: –Produce nanotube reference materials for process QC –Characterize fundamental optical and electronic properties Collaborators: Federal partners at NASA, NIOSH, CDC, Academic partners at Rice U, Rochester Institute of Technology return

Current Areas of Space-Related “Life” Research Mars Oxygen Liquefier prototype developed at NIST to liquefy oxygen produced from the carbon dioxide atmosphere on Mars for more feasible storage and use in life support systems in space. NIST Role: NIST expertise in cryogenic technologies led to the development of an extremely efficient pulse tube liquefier that uses NIST modeling programs and NIST-developed coaxial arrangement 580 mm return

Existing Resources to Facilitate Space-Related Health Research Facilities and Equipment Advanced Measurement Laboratory –Nano-scale science and metrology Advanced Chemical Sciences Laboratory –Analytical Chemistry, Biochemical Sciences NIST Center for Neutron Research –Cold Neutron Source for characterization of biological and other materials

NIST Conducts Research in Three Joint Institutes JILA University of Colorado UMBI Shady Grove HML Charleston, SC Center for teaching and research in atomic, chemical, optical, laser, gravitational, and solar physics; semiconductors; precision measurement; astrophysics; astronomy; and now bioscience Research in science and biotechnology to understand linkages between environmental condition and the health of marine organisms and humans Research in fundamental problems at the forefront of biotechnology focusing on structural biology, bioinformatics, proteomic, plant and insect transformation

Potential Areas for new Research Collaborations New detection technologies – biosensors, micro and nanosensing devices New measurement methods and standards to support proteomic and metabolomics research Support development of astrobiology instrumentation that can survive harsh environments of space (e.g. low temperature, high radiation) New growth areas at NIST: –Standards for Bioimaging –Health/Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles –Standards and technologies for Next Generation Clinical Diagnostics and Therapies –Metrology for biological tissue development

Unique Research Facilities NIST Center for Neutron Research NIST Advanced Measurement Laboratory Five Building Complex with stringent control of temperature, vibration, humidity, cleanliness State-of-the-art nano-fabrication capabilities, in the 110,000 sq ft Cleanroom Building Return The only U.S. capability for studies of biological dynamics, both temporal and spatial information are obtained. Neutron methods at the NCNR encompass an enormous range of time and length scales.