Canadian Space Agency Continues Health Research With Potential New Opportunity

Canadian Space Agency Funds Health Technologies for Deep-Space Exploration. Credit: Canadian Space Agency.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) posted an Advanced Notice yesterday for three potential Announcements of Opportunity (AO) as part of its Grants and Contributions Program in the area of health research.

The AO is part of the governments new Space Strategy for Canada’s civil space program and continues ongoing work by the agency in space health and innovation. The CSA said it intends to publish the AO’s in late spring this year.

According to agency the “intent of these AOs will be to provide financial support to researchers in Canadian Universities and post-secondary institutions to conduct science investigations that will lead to a better understanding of human spaceflight risks while contributing to improve remote medicine and health care benefits here on Earth.”

The CSA is seeking to:

  • Create an opportunity for new space life science experiments to generate new knowledge and insight into the risks of human space flight to keep astronauts healthy in space;
  • Expand the range of research expertise that is applied to research on human spaceflight health risks;
  • Advance understanding of similar health issues or applications on Earth, that could contribute to improving health care for Canadians;
  • Foster training of highly qualified personnel in space HLS.

These are the three AO’s the CSA is considering;

Health and Life Sciences (HLS) Data and Sample Mining: Scientific analysis using existing data sets or biological samples generated from previous studies.

  • Maximum amount per project: up to $70,000.
  • Maximum duration of the project: up to one (1) year.

HLS Research Models: Non-human research models (examples: organoids, organ-on-a-chip, model organisms) for investigations of space-related health risks (e.g. radiation, medical countermeasures) to expand research approaches.

  • Maximum amount per project: up to $150,000
  • Maximum duration of the project: up to two (2) years

Human Analog Studies: Human-subject space analog studies that reproduce one or more aspects of the space environment, such as variable gravity, inactivity, physiological fluid shifts, isolation, or confinement.

  • Maximum amount per project: up to $200,000
  • Maximum duration of the project: up to two (2) years

About Marc Boucher

Boucher is an entrepreneur, writer, editor & publisher. He is the founder of SpaceQ Media Inc. and CEO and co-founder of SpaceRef Interactive LLC. Boucher has 20+ years working in various roles in the space industry and a total of 30 years as a technology entrepreneur including creating Maple Square, Canada's first internet directory and search engine.

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