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An End-To-End Microfluidic Platform for Engineering Life Supporting Microbes in Space Exploration Missions

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX15CA23C
Agency Tracking Number: 140049
Amount: $749,983.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: T6.01
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2014
Award Year: 2015
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2015-06-08
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2018-06-07
Small Business Information
One Cyclotron Road, 971-SP
Berkeley, CA 94720-0001
United States
DUNS: 968226634
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: Yes
Principal Investigator
 Erik Jensen
 Principal Investigator
 (925) 766-3997
 erikjensen100@gmail.com
Business Contact
 Hong Jiao
Title: President
Phone: (408) 464-3873
Email: hong_jiao@yahoo.com
Research Institution
 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
 Jim Fong
 
One Cyclotron Road, 971-SP
Berkeley, CA 94720-0001
United States

 (510) 486-7306
 Federally Funded R&D Center (FFRDC)
Abstract

HJ Science & Technology (HJS&T) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) propose a highly integrated, programmable, and miniaturized microfluidic automation platform capable of running rapid and complex synthetic biology and bioengineering processes for engineering life supporting microbes in space exploration missions. Our approach combines the microfluidic automation technology of HJS&T with the novel synthetic biology technologies of 1) combinatorial gene library generation, 2) host transformation, and 3) gene product screening at LBNL and the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI). In Phase I, we have established the feasibility of the proposed microfluidic automation technology by engineering and screening cyanobacterial cells for enhanced production of free fatty acids. In Phase II, we will expand the Phase I microfluidic automation capability to enable automated, metabolic engineering and screening of microbes for enhanced production of other classes of important compounds for in situ resource utilization in NASA space exploration missions: propellant fuels, biopolymers, and pharmaceuticals. We will also build and deliver a Phase II prototype. The successful development of the microfluidic automation technology with its automated and miniaturized platform will lay the groundwork for life supporting waste management and in situ resource utilization capabilities in future NASA manned space exploration missions.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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