NSF/ISS National Lab Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology Informational Webinar

Questions and Answers from Webinar

Q: Will the implementation partner have their own budget or they should be accounted within the $400,000?
A: No, the implementation partners budgets should not be included in the NSF budget. The ISS National Lab will work with the implementation partners separately to award funding for their portion of the work.

Q: How much preliminary data should be presented? I have never worked with space flight conditions but my lab works in the general area of tissue engineering.
A: As is always true with NSF proposals, you need to convince the reviewers that you can feasibly conduct the experiments. But you will not be expected to have preliminary data specific to the various partners’ systems. So, preliminary data showing that your experiments work on the ground and evidence of solid conversations with the partners that will work with you would be good areas to address.

Q: It seems possible that specimens are returned to earth. Is the time aboard the ISS a variable that can be scheduled/controlled?
A: It is possible to return specimens to earth. It would be appropriate to talk with the partners to discuss experimental possibilities. We recommend you complete this form with as much information as possible before you initially talk to implementation partners. If you would like the ISS National Lab to help you distribute the information to the implementation partner community please contact us at NSFthe ISS National [email protected].

Q: Is a collaborator who has better knowledge of effects at ISS necessary? Or it is fundamental research, rather than interface at the application and fundamental study?
A: There is no need to have an experienced ISS researcher as part of the team. This is actually what the implementation partners are for — they will help you to determine how to transition your research objectives to projects that are doable on the ISS.

Q: It is unclear if proposal needs to include methods of how to send the device to space, and does this aspect needs to be budgeted?
A: You will need to describe how you will conduct your experiment on the ISS in enough detail for us to determine if it is feasible and scientifically relevant. You can start by completing this form in as much detail as possible and returning it to NSFthe ISS National [email protected]. The NSF budget should include the costs necessary to do any preliminary work on the ground, including preparing the project for the ISS in collaboration with the implementation partners. However, the costs for the ISS equipment, the launch, and the actual experimentation on the ISS, and the Implementation Partners services are part of the ISS National Lab funding and should not be included in the NSF budget.

Q: Is there any restrictions how to distribute the budget of $400,000?
A: No – it is up to the PIs to determine how to best divide up the budget to support their work.