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Completed TRL 4 (started at 3, targeting 4)
Improve robustness of life support systems for continued human space exploration by addressing biofouling and clogging through the use of conjugative plasmids and conjugation methods to propagate genomic changes that prevent phenotypical characteristics that involve production of thick biofilms. This is a Polaris project with CIF Cost-Share
This project looks to infuse innovative genomic augmentation technologies into the need for keeping an autonomous life support system for Moon and Mars exploration, including dormant periods. The group consists of subject matter experts Robert Mclean (32-years in microbiology and flight experiments at Texas State University) and Jessica Lee (Ames microbiologist working on biosentinel), Collaborators Sarah Wallace (microbiologist and MinION PI at JSC) and Tatyana Sysoeva (gene transfer expert and professor at UAH), and Working Team consisting of JP Wilson (PI and project manager), Anna M. Shipman (SysE), and Yo-Ann Velez (Co-Pi microbiologist).
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