National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository (Repository)
Research Area: Integrated Physiology and Nutrition
Expeditions: 16-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Kathleen A. McMonigal, MD, Johnson Space Center, Houston,
Texas
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository
(Repository) is a storage bank that is used to maintain biological specimens over extended
periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. This repository supports scientific
discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological
changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to
study changes in human physiology spanning many missions. This investigation archives
biosamples, including blood and urine from the International Space Station (ISS), for use as a
resource for future spaceflight-related research.
EARTH BENEFITS
Advances in space biomedical research often lead to medical advances to better serve patients
on Earth. Future research investigations that can help ensure the health and safety of crew
members as well as enable
exploration class missions provide
valuable health benefits to society.
SPACE BENEFITS
The development of Repository allows
for the collection, processing, storage,
maintenance, and ethical distribution
of biosamples to meet goals of
scientific and programmatic relevance
to the space program. Archiving of the
biosamples provides future research
opportunities including investigating
patterns of physiological changes,
analysis of components unknown at
this time, or analyses performed by
new and improved methods.RESULTS
Results from Repository are pending completion of testing on all subjects before conclusive
results are prepared.
This investigation is ongoing and additional results are pending publication.
ISS022E091397 – View of Jeffrey Williams, Expedition 22
commander, performing blood draw - Nutrition with Repository
in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module
(JPM).