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Space Biotechnology and Commercial Applications

Space Biotechnology and Commercial Applications. Rob Ferl Professor, SABRE Director. SABRE. UF academic center Center activities funded by UF VPs Courtesy appointments of KSC scientists UF faculty recruitment to KSC SERPL support POC

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Space Biotechnology and Commercial Applications

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  1. Space Biotechnology and Commercial Applications Rob Ferl Professor, SABRE Director

  2. SABRE • UF academic center • Center activities funded by UF VPs • Courtesy appointments of KSC scientists • UF faculty recruitment to KSC • SERPL support POC • Interface for genomics approaches to space related biology research

  3. Overview • Goal: Develop and Apply Functional Genomics Tools to NASA Spaceflight and ALS Objectives • Interdisciplinary Work • Hort, EnvHort, AgBioEng, MicroCS, Agron, • ICBR • KSC / NASA Interface • 45% Funding to leverage existing projects in and to NASA • 35% Equipment and infrastructure to support all projects • 20% Seed grants to capture innovative science • 10% Center activities • Space Agriculture in the Classroom

  4. Functional Genomics Background: • Use of high throughput DNA sequencing, high density arrays and bioinformatics • Focuses on UF strengths in plant genomics and genomics infrastructure • Interfaces with and leverages ICBR and the Genetics Institute • Leverages ag biotech efforts in Florida

  5. UF / NASA /KSC Genomics • High density analysis of adaptation to space, particularly plants and microbes • Focus 1- ALS crops; Dwarf Wheat and Peanut • Severely underrepresented in NSF as yet • Primary KSC interests and lead in dwarf wheat testing (Wheeler, Levine, Goins) • Dwarf wheat project also interfaces with ongoing and anticipated flight experiments (Stutte, Levine) • Peanut project represents unsupported side of ALS crops

  6. UF / NASA /KSC Genomics • High density analysis of adaptation to space, particularly plants and microbes • Focus 2- Model Plants; Arabidopsis • Extraordinary databases • Commercial chips and data • Also interfaces with ongoing and anticipated flight experiments (Ferl, Paul) • Interfaces with ALS Mars projects (Schuerger) • Opposite end of ALS spectrum re tools

  7. Functional Genomic Grants I • Dwarf Wheat EST and Arrays • Farmerie (ICBR) [State] • Levine, Goins, Stutte (KSC) • Paul (UF/KSC coordinator) [NASA, USDA] • Peanut EST and Arrays • Gallo-Maegher (Agronomy) [USDA] • McCarty (Horticulture) [NSF]

  8. Functional Genomic Grants II • Genes in extreme environments • Paul, Ferl (Horticulture) [NSF, USDA, NASA] • Guy (Environmental Horticulture) [NSF] • Gurley (Micro and Cell Science) [DARPA] • Schuerger, Levine, Stutte • Environmental chambers for low pressure • Bucklin (Ag and Biological Engineering) • Fowler, Wheeler, Sager, Rygalov

  9. Functional Genomics Interactions - ESTs Peanut Tissue RNAs (UF-Gallo-Meagher) Wheat Tissue RNAs (KSC-Levine, Stutte, Goins) ICBR Sequencing (Farmerie) State Genome Center (McCarty) NSF Spotted Gene Arrays Informatics Databases

  10. Functional Genomics Interactions - Arrays Peanut Tissue RNAs (UF-Gallo-Meagher) Wheat Tissue RNAs (KSC-Levine, Stutte, Goins) ICBR Sequencing (Farmerie) Genome Center (McCarty) Spotted Gene Arrays Informatics Databases

  11. Functional Genomics Interactions - Genes Gene Adaptations (Paul, Guy, Gurley, Ferl) Test Chamber Development (Bucklin) Commercial Gene Arrays Informatics Databases (Farmerie, McCarty)

  12. Functional Genomics Anticipated Results 10 25 50 75 vs 101

  13. Seed Grants • Space Agriculture in the Classroom (Osborne et al) • Ag Education, KSC/NASA Gus Koerner • Seed development under conditions of hypoxia and mitochondrial dysfunction (Chase and Zhao, Hort) • Microbial ecology (Ogram, Soils) • Enhancing starch productions in plants to overcome limitations imposed by spaceflight (Hannah et al, Hort) • Development of a genetics-based computer model for engineering of new crops (Jones and Vallejos, AgBio Hort) • Genomic targets of green light effects on plant stature (Folta, Hort)

  14. Major 12 month Objectives • Obtain 5,000 to 10,000 new dwarf wheat ESTs • Obtain 25,000 peanut ESTs • Develop and utilize peanut and augmented wheat arrays • Develop an understanding of plant adaptations to extreme environments, especially low pressure, ALS and spaceflight relevant conditions • Test hypotheses of integrated stress responses based on genomics analyses • Bring on line new approaches to adaptation science

  15. Conclusions • Leveraged work offers more immediate payback by advancing direct NASA projects and borrowing from USDA and NSF activities at UF • Seed grants represent novel approaches to biological adaptation to environments • Integrated and multidisciplinary approaches assure mutual advancement • Investments in fundamental technology assures access by KSC and the greater NASA community

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