Dear Colleagues: The Open Journal System web site for Gravitational and Space Biology is now active, and we would like to encourage manuscript submissions of all kinds. A tutorial of the new electronic submission system is attached, as are the instructions to authors. The attached instructions (which can also be found in the front-matter of the September issue) supersede all other versions.

Manuscripts can be submitted any time through the website: http://GravitationalAndSpaceBiology.org and will be published in the order of their completion through the peer review, and author revision process. However, we are currently making special encouragement to people interested in contributing short communications developed from abstracts presented at the annual meeting last week, as well as longer symposia papers from the meeting. Manuscripts submitted before February 15th will be targeted to the April 2012 issue, and those submitted between then and July 15th will be targeted to the September 2012 issue.

Submission is open to all, and in addition to gravitational and space biology topics, we are actively encouraging papers in the fields of astrobiology, analog environment research, advanced life support (ALS), as well as biophysics, engineering, and hardware development relevant to these, and other gravitational and space biology arenas.

The value of the journal to ASGSB, and to the scientific community, depends heavily on the quality and number of articles submitted. We look forward to receiving many high-quality papers that strongly reflect the exciting research of our members. We are the face of ASGSB.

As always, do not hesitate to e-mail with any questions, concerns or suggestions. Best regards, Anna-Lisa Paul Editor, Gravitational and Space Biology alp@ufl.edu

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH11ZTT002N, entitled "Research Opportunities in Space Biology." This NASA Research Announcement (NRA) solicits hypothesis-driven research proposals for both ground-based experiments and flight experiments in Space Biology (SB). All proposals must describe hypothesis-driven experiments that will answer basic questions about how cells, plants and animals respond to changes in gravity. Proposals for ground-based experiments must demonstrate and describe a clear path to hypothesis testing in space flight experiments on the ISS or other appropriate space flight platforms. This NRA also requests proposals for rapid turn-around flight research using plants or Petri dish-based biological systems that will utilize either the Advanced Biological Research System (ABRS) hardware residing on the International Space Station (ISS) or the Biological Research in Canisters - Petri Dish Fixation Unit (BRIC-PDFU) hardware on any of several potential flight platforms (based on science requirements and availability).

Continue reading "Release of NASA Research Announcement NNH11ZTT002N "Research Opportunities in Space Biology"" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Colleagues:

As many of you know, the Society's journal, Gravitational and Space Biology, is undergoing a series of changes to become a completely electronic, Open Journal, and the September issue will be the first in the new format. One substantial change is that the journal will now accept the submission of manuscripts continuously. There will still be occasional time-delimited calls for issue-specific materials (such as the extended meeting abstracts) but all submissions, of any length, can be submitted for consideration and review at any time. Manuscripts will be published as space permits, in the order of acceptance.

For the time being, submissions can be made through the ASGSB web site http://asgsb.org/manuscript/submit.html using the same formatting template provided for the extended abstracts; however the length need not be limited to two pages.

As always, the main criteria for publication will be that the research presented is original and of significant interest to the community of gravitational and space biologists. All manuscripts will be peer reviewed.

Again, many thanks for your patience as we make this transition.
Below I have compiled a set of the most frequently asked questions to come across my desk in the past few months, but if you have any others, please do not hesitate to ask.

Anna-Lisa Paul
Editor, Gravitational and Space Biology
alp@ufl.edu

Frequently Asked Questions:

Continue reading "Gravitational and Space biology - Journal Updates and Invitation for general submissions" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Colleagues:

The Editorial Board of Gravitational and Space Biology is now soliciting two-page reports for publication in the next issue of the Journal. Extended abstracts from those of you who presented posters or talks at the Fall 2010 meeting are especially encouraged, but the invitation is open to any who wish to submit short papers conforming to the 2-page template.

You can submit your reports via the ASGSB web site http://asgsb.org/manuscript/submit.html, where you will find clear and simple instructions. The main criteria for publication will be that the research presented is original and of significant interest to the community of gravitational and space biologists. These reports will be peer reviewed. The deadline for submission is Friday, March 11.

The two-page reports that are accepted will appear in the 2011 issue of the journal, along with solicited review articles. The issue is scheduled for publication in the early Fall.

As many of you know, we are reorganizing the ASGSB web site and the Society's journal, Gravitational and Space Biology. Both represent the face of our Society, and both undertakings will take time to do well - so we thank you for your patience. This issue will be the first to be published entirely in electronic format, but each paper will be able to be downloaded as a pdf from the web site. As a consequence, there are no restrictions to color in figures. In addition, we will be encouraging submissions for cover art from accepted manuscripts.

The value of the journal to ASGSB and to the international gravitational and space biology community depends heavily on the quality and number of articles submitted. We look forward to receiving many high-quality two-page reports that strongly reflect the exciting research represented by the members of our Society.

Best regards,

Anna-Lisa Paul Editor, Gravitational and Space Biology alp@ufl.edu

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear members and friends of ASGSB,

Make plans to join with your colleagues and friends in Raleigh, North Carolina, from November 5-8, 2009, for the annual meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology. The scientific committee is very excited about the program, which will include symposia on Habitation Science (chaired by Cary Mitchell), Biological Engineering and Synthetic Biology (chaired by Marshall Porterfield) and The ISS as a National Laboratory (chaired by Ken Souza). We will also have posters, oral sessions, committee meetings, and plenty of time for networking.

Continue reading "ASGSB Annual Meeting Update" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology (ASGSB), founded in 1984, provides a forum to foster research, education and professional development in the multidisciplinary fields of gravitational and space biology. We are a diverse group of scientists, engineers and students who exchange ideas that bridge basic and applied biological research in space and gravitational sciences. Our society of ~350 professionals and students from universities, government, and industry represents the core community with a mission to work closely with NASA to create and disseminate knowledge about how living organisms respond to gravity and the spaceflight environment.

This knowledge provides key insights into normal and abnormal cell function and organism physiology that cannot be observed using traditional experimental approaches on Earth, and serves as a venue for breakthrough biomedical and biotechnological discoveries to advance human exploration of space and improve quality of life for the general public. Our mission includes education and outreach to the general public, students and teachers, Congress, NASA and other domestic and foreign governmental agencies. Our community stimulates students to pursue careers in life science, technology, engineering and mathematics and trains the next generation of scientists and bioengineers.

Full text

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With this amendment, the NASA Announcement of Opportunity NNH08ZDA009O, "Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON)," is amended to delay the proposal due date for proposals submitted in response to Program Element Appendix H3: Small Complete Missions of Opportunity in Astrobiology and Fundamental Space Biology.

The proposal due date for Small Complete Missions of Opportunity in Astrobiology and Fundamental Space Biology proposals is delayed until early in 2009.

Continue reading "SALMON AO Amendment 2: Delay of Due Date for Small Complete Missions in Astrobiology and Fundamental Space Biology" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Due to the hardship caused by Hurricane Ike to institutions on the Gulf Coast, NASA is again extending the deadline for the NASA Research Announcement NNH08ZTT003N NRA: Research Opportunities for Fundamental Space Biology Investigations in Microbial, Plant and Cell Biology from September 19, 2008 to September 24, 2008.

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NNH08ZDA009O, entitled "Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON)" is being released by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on September 3, 2008. This Announcement of Opportunity (AO) solicits investigations that address the science objectives of the Science Mission Directorate's (SMD) astrobiology, lunar science, and planetary science programs and the Exploration Science Mission Directorate's (ESMD) fundamental space biology program.

Continue reading "Stand Alone Mission of Opportunity Notice (SALMON) Announcement of Opportunity (AO); to include Astrobiology and Fundamental Space Biology" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 6:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH08ZTT003N entitled "Research Opportunities for Fundamental Space Biology Investigations in Microbial, Plant and Cell Biology". The full text of the solicitation is available on the NASA Research Opportunities homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com under menu listing "Open Solicitations".

Continue reading "NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH08ZTT003N "Research Opportunities for Fundamental Space Biology Investigations in Microbial, Plant and Cell Biology"" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Awards Committee is soliciting nominations for the awards listed below from the membership at large. Please take a moment to review the categories, think about a deserving candidate, and send your nomination!

1. Thora W. Halstead Young Investigator Award: This award was established to honor a young scientist (usually under 40) who exemplifies Thora's drive and enthusiasm for science, and who has made significant contributions to the field of space biology.

2. Orr Reynolds Distinguished Service Award: This award is made to an individual for distinguished service to the Society "above and beyond the call of duty."

3. Founder's Award: This award is the highest honor given by the Society. It is made to a member of the Society for distinguished scientific contributions to and leadership in the field of gravitational and space biology.

For more information about the awards-including a list of past recipients, please see: http://asgsb.org/awards.html.

Nominations should be accompanied by the name and professional address of the candidate and a short Curriculum Vitae, along with a paragraph outlining why the candidate is particularly deserving of the award. Please submit nominations by e-mail to Dr. John Z. Kiss, Chair, Awards Committee, kissjz@muohio.edu. The deadline for receiving nominations is April 25, 2008.

Posted by Keith Cowing at 6:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recognizes the advancement of the commercial suborbital spaceflight industry and requests information on potential human-tended flight experiments enabled by this capability. NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is in the formulation phase of a possible new program to fly government-sponsored payloads and researchers on commercial suborbital systems with the intent of advancing SMD's goals and objectives. Responses to this RFI (NNH08ZDA004L) will be used to inform NASA's program planning.

Continue reading "NASA RFI - Scientist Participant Suborbital Science Pilot Program - Flight Research" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 6:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear ASGSB Members and Friends

The Second Announcement of the ESA ISGP ASGSB ELGRA meeting in Angers, France, June 23-27 will be sent to you soon from the ESA Conference Bureau. The scientific committee is very excited about the developments so far leading up to the meeting, which is titled "Life in Space for Life on Earth". Here are a few things you should know right away.

Continue reading "ESA ISGP ASGSB ELGRA meeting in Angers, France" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 6:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear ASGSB members: We have received a Dear Colleague notification from ESA that our joint international meeting is proceeding on schedule. A call will come shortly for abstract submission. This is a rare opportunity to share our research and strengthen our interactions in the global community. Please try to find a way to participate in person at our 24th Annual ASGSB Meeting to demonstrate the collective spirit and importance of international collaboration in space-related science.

Danny A. Riley President, ASGSB, dariley@mcw.edu

Continue reading "ASGSB 2008 Annual Meeting in France" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 8:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear ASGSB Members,

I am pleased to announce that the membership of the ASGSB has successfully voted electronically for the first time and elected Jeffery R. Alberts President-Elect and 5 new Governing Board members: Ted A. Bateman, J. David Dickman, Melissa Kirven-Brooks, Stephen J. Moorman (completing the term of Diana Jennings), and Muneo Takaoki.

We greatly appreciate the willingness and efforts of all of the members who ran for office, including Marshall Porterfield, Elison Blancaflor, Gioia Massa, and Bruce Yost, to contribute to the governance and mission of the Society. Special thanks for service is given to members who rotated off the Board: Simon Gilroy, Diana Jennings, David Klaus, April Ronca, Paul Todd, and Wenonah Vercoutere. The Board also approved David K. Chapman as Secretary-Treasurer, who kindly consented to continue dealing with the challenges of this position. I look forward to working with the newly elected members and members at large as we strengthen the role of our Society in advancing America's leadership in space-related science.

Danny A. Riley
President, ASGSB

Posted by Keith Cowing at 9:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As noted in the Spring 2007 newsletter, nominations for the following ASGSB awards are due no later than 5 PM PST, October 1, 2007.  Please note that the individual selected must be at the meeting to receive the award.

Previous winners of the awards can be found at http://www.asgsb.org/awards.html

1. Thora W. Halstead Young Investigator Award: This award honors a young scientist who exemplifies Thora's drive and enthusiasm for science, and who has made significant contributions to the field of space biology.

2. Orr Reynolds Distinguished Service Award: This award is made to an individual for distinguished service to the Society "above and beyond the call of duty."

3. Founder's Award: This award is the highest honor given by the Society. It is made to a member of the Society for distinguished scientific contributions to and leadership in the field of gravitational and space biology.

The final recipients of these awards are chosen by the Awards Committee, in consultation with the current President and the Executive Director. Nominations from the Society's membership are very strongly encouraged and may be submitted to Chair Emily Holton or to the Executive Director.

Nominations should be accompanied by the name and professional address of the candidate and a short Curriculum Vitae, along with a paragraph outlining why the candidate is particularly deserving of the award. The most direct mechanism for submissions is by e-mail to Dr. Emily Holton, Chair, Awards Committee, eholton@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Emily Morey-Holton, Ph.D.
Chair, Awards Committee

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NASA Foton-M3 team visited Moscow May 14-25, 2007. Flight Simulation Tests (FST) of 4 biology experiments were completed and all scientific procedures for the Foton-M3 flight experiments were completed. Foton-M3 studies with newts, geckos, snails and microbial cultures will examine how learning, behavior, tissue regeneration, genetic responses, growth, and other factors respond to exposure to spaceflight.

Continue reading "FOTON-M3 Team Completes Flight Simulation Tests" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear ASGSB members, The deadline for submitting abstracts for the 2007 Annual Meeting is Friday, July 6 (http://www.asgsb.org/abstract/abstractsubmission.html).

Continue reading "ASGSB Annual Meeting Abstract Notice" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Dear Colleagues: I am pleased to announce that the 23rd Annual Meeting of the ASGSB will be held October 25-28, 2007, at the NASA Research Park, adjoining the Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. Responding to the clear mandate that the Governing Board received from the poll of attendees at the Business Meeting last November, the Board has taken advantage of a cost-effective opportunity to utilize the Conference Center at the NASA Research Park and provide a traditional meeting format.

Continue reading "ASGSB To Meet at NASA Ames Research Center" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bigelow Spacecraft Carries NASA 'GeneBox' for Tests in Orbit, NASA ARC

"On July 12, a Russian rocket lofted 'GeneBox' into Earth orbit within Bigelow Corporation's Genesis I test spacecraft. Attached to the large inflatable spacecraft's internal structure, GeneBox contains a miniature laboratory. In future flights, it will analyze how the near weightlessness of space affects genes in microscopic cells and other small life forms."

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All ASGSB (American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology) members are encouraged to ask their university/institution libraries to include Gravitational and Space Biology on their list of online journals. Former iterations of the journal are also available online, i.e., ASGSB Bulletin and Gravitational and Space Biology Bulletin. Use the following URL when making this request: http://asgsb.org/publications.html [Source: ASGSB Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)