Dr. Aswati Subramanian, Associate Professor of Biology at Simpson College, is exploring how a single-celled organism may help scientists better understand how the human body responds to microgravity.

Her project focuses on Tetrahymena thermophila, a microscopic organism with hair-like structures called cilia. These structures are found not only in Tetrahymena but also throughout the human body, including in the respiratory system, brain, and kidneys. By studying how these structures behave in simulated microgravity, Dr. Subramanian hopes to better understand how spaceflight affects human health.

With support from Iowa NASA EPSCoR, Dr. Subramanian developed a custom-built microgravity simulation chamber using 3D printing and other tools. Early experiments have already revealed visible differences in cell shape and protein distribution under simulated microgravity conditions.

The project is also creating hands-on research opportunities for Simpson College students.

“Using my sabbatical research, I’m able to train the students here at Simpson,” said Dr. Subramanian. “I now have eight undergraduates that are already tinkering in the lab with the 3D-printed microgravity chamber and microscopy work.”

Dr. Subramanian sees her work as part of a larger effort to connect Iowa’s scientific talent to the future of space exploration. During a visit to Kennedy Space Center, she encountered a poster showing crops growing alongside astronauts with a simple message: Farmers Wanted.

For Dr. Subramanian, the message reinforced how Iowa’s agricultural expertise could contribute directly to future space missions.

“If you look at the farming community in Iowa and what they know about growing crops, Iowa has a direct impact on space exploration.”

She is now building collaborations with researchers at Florida Institute of Technology to expand opportunities for Simpson students, including potential internships connected to Kennedy Space Center.

Looking ahead, Dr. Subramanian is pursuing additional NASA funding and expanding interdisciplinary research in her lab.

Her advice to future researchers: “Don’t restrict yourself to something you’ve always been doing. Be exploratory.”

Although trained as a biologist, she learned new skills during the project—including Arduino programming, electronics, and 3D printing.

“Interdisciplinary research is where we need to focus moving forward.“

Iowa NASA EPSCoR is pleased to announce the FY26 recipients of the Research Building Seed Grants. These grants are designed to strengthen and expand Iowa’s research capacity as part of NASA’s multi-year Research Infrastructure Development (RID) initiative. The program supports researchers across the state, fostering innovation aligned with NASA’s strategic priorities.

Each year, investigators from Iowa institutions compete for Iowa NASA EPSCoR funding to advance projects directly connected to NASA mission areas. These awards have consistently contributed to major research gains in Iowa, supporting new discoveries, external grants, partnerships, laboratories, and workforce development opportunities.

Ping He (Iowa State University)
“Coupled System- and Component-Level Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of Mars Rotorcraft”

“I’m really excited about this grant. It lets us take the first step toward designing and optimizing high-performance rotorcraft for Mars missions. It also gives Iowa students an opportunity to work directly on technologies that support NASA’s future missions.” – He

Siddhartha (Sid) Pathak (Iowa State University)
“ALD/PVD Nanolaminate Thin Films for Atomic Oxygen–Resistant, Low-Drag Coatings in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Applications”

“The RBSG funding will be extremely beneficial in getting our project off the ground—literally and figuratively. Even NASA researchers do not currently have this capability in their labs, so we anticipate strong interest from them as soon as we can share initial results.” – Pathak

Yang Du (Iowa State University)
“Dual-Laser Adjustable Mode Beam (DLAMB) Welding for Large-Scale, Defect-Free Stainless Steel Parts”

“I am truly honored to receive my first funded project through the Iowa NASA EPSCoR RBSG program. This award strengthens my research in advanced laser manufacturing and supports my goal of developing innovative, defect-free welding technologies for space applications. The support enhances my lab’s capabilities and inspires my future work toward contributing to NASA’s missions and advancing materials for extreme environments.” – Du

Jonathan Claussen (Iowa State University)
“Integrated Low-Cost Graphene-Based Sensors for Continuous Nutrient and Water Quality Monitoring in Hydroponic Systems and Surface Waters”

“I’m honored to receive this Iowa NASA EPSCoR Seed Grant. Our low-cost graphene sensors can be deployed in far greater numbers than commercial alternatives, giving farmers more detailed field data with less maintenance. This will help determine when excess fertilizer is applied and whether conservation practices reduce nutrient losses. At the same time, the technology supports NASA’s efforts to understand Earth’s water quality and develop reliable hydroponic systems for growing crops in space. It’s exciting to see one innovation address critical challenges both on Earth and beyond.” – Claussen

In addition to seed grants, the RID program also provides travel grants to encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange among researchers.

For more information and to view the full list of awardees, please visit Iowa NASA EPSCoR Awardees

About NASA EPSCoR

NASA’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) aims to build research capabilities across participating U.S. states and territories by supporting innovation and collaboration in NASA-aligned science and technology fields.

No, you’re not looking at an abstract painting of the sun and the Earth. This is a photograph (micrograph)!

No, you’re not looking at an abstract painting of the sun and the Earth. This is a photograph (micrograph)!

Iowa State University associate professor of Materials Science and Engineering Dr. Sid Pathak and lead researcher Dr. Manish Kumar captured this image not in outer space, but under an electron microscope.

Their research studies the structural properties of solders in both terrestrial and microgravity environments. Soldering involves the melting and solidification of materials, typically metal alloys, to join electrical conductors.

Pathak’s team aims to understand how the outer-space environment, devoid of physical forces such as Earth’s gravity, affects lead-tin solders on a microscopic level. They also want to understand how these changes alter the performance of solders in the extreme cold and hot conditions found in the vacuum of outer space. The aim is to improve the soldering process on Earth while also understanding how it can be used to support repairs in deep space and to address repair needs critical for long-duration exploration missions beyond Earth’s atmosphere. 

This photo, taken by Kumar, is featured in NASA’s 2025 calendar and shows part of a solder bead taken from the International Space Station (ISS). The large orange quadrant in the upper left corner is the copper wire, while the blue and green sphere in the bottom right corner is a void space. The green and brown spaces in between are conventional solder aggregates.

This year’s NASA calendar is all about the building blocks of life and our universe. Many of the photos showcase how the smallest forms of being, such as organic and inorganic chemicals, cells, and microorganisms, change the way we see life in the cosmos. NASA’s missions aim to understand how these building blocks affect our universe and how they can be utilized for the benefit of humanity.

“We are proud that this transformative research is taking place right here in Iowa.” Dr. Pathak stated. The results of his study has already been used in NASA’s deep space missions.

Pathak has received many awards for research and teaching, including the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award in 2024 and the Defense Advanced Research Agencies Young Faculty Award in 2019.

Manish Kumar recently obtained his Ph.D. at Iowa State University from Pathak’s research group. For his PhD research in solders Kumar was awarded the Brown Graduate Fellowship in 2024 and the ISU Research Excellence Award in 2025. He also presented his research at numerous conferences across the country including the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research meeting in Washington D.C. and the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in Philadelphia, PA.

This research project is funded through NASA Physical Sciences Informatics, NASA EPSCoR, and Iowa Space Grant Consortium.

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When: April 15, 2025

Where: Howe Hall, Iowa State University; 537 Bissell Rd, Ames, IA 50011.

Join us for our annual Spring Research Symposium at Iowa State University where Iowa Space Grant Consortium supported students and faculty, as well as Iowa NASA EPSCoR supported researchers and students, will come together to showcase their innovative and inspiring NASA related research and programs happening across the consortium and state.

ISGC Undergraduate Scholars and Summer 2024 Informal STEM Education Interns are required to attend, and all other ISGC students, NASA interns, affiliates and NASA EPSCoR researchers are welcome to attend! For more information visit: https://www.iaspacegrant.org/isgc-spring-research-symposium/

The afternoon poster session, tours, and industrial affiliate networking opportunities are open to the public.

Solicitation Number: NNJ25ZSA003L
Release Date: February 25, 2025
Response Date: March 11, 2025

The Human Research Program investigates and mitigates the highest risks to astronaut health and performance in exploration missions. The goal of the HRP is to provide human health and performance countermeasures, knowledge, technologies, and tools to enable safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration, and to ensure safe and productive human spaceflight. The scope of these goals includes both the successful completion of exploration missions and the preservation of astronaut health over the life of the astronaut.

HRP has developed an Integrated Research Plan (IRP) to describe the requirements and notional approach to understanding and reducing the human health and performance risks. The IRP describes the Program’s research activities that are intended to address the needs of human space exploration and serve HRP customers. The IRP illustrates the HRP’s research plan through the timescale of exploration missions of extended duration. The Human Research Roadmap (HRR – https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov) is a web-based version of the IRP that allows users to search HRP risks, gaps, and tasks.

The Space Radiation Element (SRE) is requesting information on existing research infrastructure and established capabilities to perform long-term health studies using an outbred mouse model. The priority research interest is carcinogenesis and associated relative biological effectiveness (RBE) measurements following low dose whole body exposure to ionizing radiation relevant to the space radiation environment. Secondary priority areas include cardiovascular/degenerative disease and short- and long-term neurobehavioral/cognitive decrements. Appropriate responses should include information on the following areas.

·        Existing infrastructure for largescale long-term husbandry, breeding, and monitoring of carcinogenesis in mice.

·        Existing personnel (radiation expertise, statistical expertise, board certified veterinary pathologists, etc.).

·        Existing infrastructure for whole body irradiation (x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons etc.)

·        Accessibility to and appropriateness of tests/assays/techniques to assess priority research areas (cancer, cardiovascular disease, central nervous system endpoints) throughout the lifetime of study.

The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/SRCRFI

Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site. This RFI is open to responses from all parties including commercial entities, international organizations, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for planning and acquisition strategy development. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI on a non-attribution basis. Providing data and information that is limited or restricted for use by NASA for that purpose would be of very little value and such restricted/limited data/information is not solicited. No information or questions received will be posted to any website or public access location. NASA does not plan to respond to the individual responses. The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Questions concerning this RFI may be addressed to:

NASA Human Research Program Space Radiation Element Scientist

janice.zawaski@nasa.gov