State to promote drug development in space through 'Galactic Grant Competition'
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- Don Seiffert
- BioFlash Editor- Boston Business Journal
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The state's agency that promotes life science firms today announced an opportunity for biotechs to develop drugs in space.
Gov. Deval Patrick announced the so-called "Galactic Grant Competition" at the Boston Museum of Science. The competition is supported by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, a Florida-based nonprofit that promotes and manages the use of the International Space Station for experiments that could develop innovative new technology. Former astronaut Dan Tani, who performed a spacewalk on 2001 as part of a mission from the Space Shuttle Endeavor, accompanied Patrick.
Starting in December, Massachusetts-based companies will have the opportunity to apply to have life science experiments — including drug discovery, development, delivery, and diagnostics — conducted in the U.S. lab on the ISS. Up to $500,000 will be available to help pay for any projects from any life sciences company with operations in the Bay State, and another $50,000 will be invested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education initiatives intended to "connect Massachusetts students to the ISS," according to a statement from MLSC.
The extremely light gravity onboard the ISS affects organisms from bacteria to humans, including at the genetic level and the formation of tissue. According to a the CASIS website, "studies of astronauts reveal a variety of spaceflight-induced health conditions, many of which may serve as models of ground-based ailments such as aging and trauma."
Applications will be accepted from Dec. 1 through April 3, 2015, with winners announced next July. Several information sessions are planned for three months starting in December for anyone interested in applying.
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