NASA's Johnson Space Center Approves Grant for Nanobacterial Research

Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. (Tampa, FL) has received a $95,000 grant awarded by CDDF to David S. McKay, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate at NASA's Johnson Space Center, for Calcification and Biomineralization and Nanobacteria Research.

The grant will be used to characterize and understand Nanobacteria's calcification and biomineralization properties and focus on nanobacteria as a model for health-threatening calcification and as a model for fossil biosignatures in a search for life. New collaborations are anticipated with JSC Bio-Medical groups, UT Medical Systems, Nanobac Life Sciences (Nanobac), and others. Current theory is that the complex calcification forms produced by these nano-particles not only may have undesirable effects on human health, but may also provide new insights into how fossils form in nature. One goal of NASA's new exploration program is to search for evidence for life, such as fossils on Mars and other planetary bodies.

"This grant will allow for groundbreaking growth in the area of geomedicine," said Nanobac’s Director of Science, Neva Ciftcioglu, PhD. "Calcified Nano-particles (CNPs) or nanobacteria, are an example of biomineralization that has been linked to many health problems. This money will allow for expanded research in the area of kidney stones and characterization of CNPs and provide new tools for the search for life beyond earth."

"We are excited that the CDDF acknowledged our preliminary findings in the nanobacteria calcification/biomineralization field and decided to fund our future studies," stated David McKay, PhD, Chief Scientist for Astrobiology in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate at NASA's Johnson Space Center. "Nanobacteria as a model for health-threatening calcification diseases will allow us to merge geology with health care and I am eager to head this multi-disciplinary team."

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