National Space Biomedical Research Institute is a unique, non-profit science institute established in 1997 by NASA through an open competition. The Institute is working on countermeasures to the health-related problems and physical and psychological challenges men and women will face on long-duration missions. The research consortium's primary objective is to ensure safe and productive human spaceflight.
Research also addresses key technologies required to enable and enhance exploration. In particular, NSBRI scientists and physicians are developing technologies to provide medical monitoring, diagnosis and treatment in the extreme environments that will be faced during exploration missions.
Benefiting Earth
NSBRI discoveries impact medical care on Earth. While solving space health issues, the Institute is transferring the solutions to patients suffering from similar conditions, including osteoporosis, muscle wasting, shift-related sleep disorders, balance disorders and cardiovascular system problems.Additionally, the Institute prides itself in having robust education and outreach programs that inspire and train the next generation of scientists, engineers and space explorers. Educational activities range from developing curricular materials for middle school and deploying web-based resources for teachers and faculty to supporting summer internship, graduate and postdoctoral programs.
Organizational Structure
The Institute's operations are overseen by a consortium of 12 academic institutions. NSBRI funds more than 60 peer-reviewed science, technology and education projects at leading institutions across the United States. The research program is organized into seven integrated teams:
