UG3TR005845
Cooperative Agreement
Overview
Grant Description
Assessing effects of microgravity on cardiovascular aging with AI and 3D organoids - Project summary
Astronauts often experience health challenges after spaceflight due to the body's adaptations to a microgravity environment.
This UG3/UH3 project aims to explore how spaceflight impacts heart health, specifically focusing on the changes that occur in the human heart under microgravity.
Using stem cells, we will create 3D heart-like tissues, known as vascularized cardiac organoids (VCOS), which contain both heart cells and blood vessel cells.
These organoids will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the effects of spaceflight on their function over time, including changes in their ability to beat, metabolize energy, and respond to inflammation.
Our primary goals are to identify the biological pathways disrupted by spaceflight and to evaluate potential drugs that could protect the heart from these effects.
We will use single-cell RNA sequencing, which allows us to observe how individual cells respond to spaceflight, combined with computational drug screening to identify promising therapeutic candidates.
By comparing the responses of organoids in space with those grown on Earth, we aim to gain insights into how microgravity and space radiation affect heart function and identify new strategies for maintaining heart health during extended space missions.
The findings from this study will improve astronaut safety during long-duration missions, such as those to Mars, by identifying effective countermeasures against space-induced cardiovascular changes.
Additionally, the research could have broader implications for understanding heart health on Earth, potentially benefiting individuals with heart disease or inflammatory conditions.
Our work seeks to bridge the gap between space-based and Earth-based heart research, offering new perspectives that could lead to innovative therapies for sustaining cardiovascular health in challenging environments.
Astronauts often experience health challenges after spaceflight due to the body's adaptations to a microgravity environment.
This UG3/UH3 project aims to explore how spaceflight impacts heart health, specifically focusing on the changes that occur in the human heart under microgravity.
Using stem cells, we will create 3D heart-like tissues, known as vascularized cardiac organoids (VCOS), which contain both heart cells and blood vessel cells.
These organoids will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the effects of spaceflight on their function over time, including changes in their ability to beat, metabolize energy, and respond to inflammation.
Our primary goals are to identify the biological pathways disrupted by spaceflight and to evaluate potential drugs that could protect the heart from these effects.
We will use single-cell RNA sequencing, which allows us to observe how individual cells respond to spaceflight, combined with computational drug screening to identify promising therapeutic candidates.
By comparing the responses of organoids in space with those grown on Earth, we aim to gain insights into how microgravity and space radiation affect heart function and identify new strategies for maintaining heart health during extended space missions.
The findings from this study will improve astronaut safety during long-duration missions, such as those to Mars, by identifying effective countermeasures against space-induced cardiovascular changes.
Additionally, the research could have broader implications for understanding heart health on Earth, potentially benefiting individuals with heart disease or inflammatory conditions.
Our work seeks to bridge the gap between space-based and Earth-based heart research, offering new perspectives that could lead to innovative therapies for sustaining cardiovascular health in challenging environments.
Funding Goals
NOT APPLICABLE
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Stanford,
California
94305
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
The Leland Stanford Junior University was awarded
Microgravity Effects on Cardiovascular Aging: AI & 3D Organoids Study
Cooperative Agreement UG3TR005845
worth $3,183,188
from National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences in August 2025 with work to be completed primarily in Stanford California United States.
The grant
has a duration of 2 years 10 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.350 National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.
The Cooperative Agreement was awarded through grant opportunity Tissue Chips in Space 2.0: Translational Multi-Organ Tissue Chip Systems for Drug Efficacy, Toxicity Testing, and Personalized Medicine in Human Health, Aging and Associated Diseases (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/6/25
Period of Performance
8/1/25
Start Date
6/30/28
End Date
Funding Split
$3.2M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.2M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
UG3TR005845
SAI Number
UG3TR005845-3344486694
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Private Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NR00 NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Funding Office
75NR00 NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Awardee UEI
HJD6G4D6TJY5
Awardee CAGE
1KN27
Performance District
CA-16
Senators
Dianne Feinstein
Alejandro Padilla
Alejandro Padilla
Modified: 8/6/25