Cell science and protein crystal growth research for the international space station

The recent National Research Council report, future Biotechnology Research on the International Space Station, evaluates NASA's plans for research in cell science and protein crystal growth to be conducted on the Internationa l Space Station. This report concludes that the NASA biotechnology programs have the potential to significantly impact relevant scientific fields and to increase understanding and insight into fundamental biological issues. I n order to realize the potential impacts, NASA must focus its research prog rams by selecting specific questions related to gravitational forces' role in cell behavior and by using the microgravity environment as a tool to det ermine the structure of macromolecules with important biological implicatio ns. Given the time and volume constraints associated With space-based exper iments, instrumentation to be used on the space station must be designed to maximize the productivity of researchers, and NASA's recruitment of invest igators and support for space station experiments should aim to encourage a nd facilitate cutting-edge research. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.dagger