Task Book Introduction for FY1996

The NASA Life Sciences Division serves the Nation’s life sciences community by managing all aspects of U.S. space-related life sciences research and technology development. The activities of the Division are integral components of the Nation’s overall biological sciences and biomedical research efforts. However, NASA’s life sciences activities are unique, in that space flight affords the opportunity to study and characterize basic biological mechanisms in ways not possible on Earth. By utilizing access to space as a research tool, NASA advances fundamental knowledge of the way in which weightlessness, radiation, and other aspects of the space flight environment interact with biological processes. This knowledge is applied to procedures and technologies that enable humans to live and work in and explore space and contributes to the health and well-being of people on Earth.

The Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications (OLMSA) is responsible for planning and executing research stimulated by the Agency’s broad scientific goals. OLMSA’s Life Sciences Division is responsible for guiding and focusing a comprehensive program of flight and ground-based tasks. This document, the Life Sciences Program Tasks and Bibliography for Fiscal Year 1996 (October 1995-September 1996), includes all peer reviewed projects funded by the Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications, Life Sciences Division, during that year. This document is published annually and made available to scientists in the space life sciences field both as a hard copy and as an interactive internet web page (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/olmsa/UL/codeul.html). The information provided in the Task Book is used in reports to the NASA Associate Administrator, the Office of Management and Budget, and to the United States Congress.

This database offers the option of searching all tasks by scientific program, element, and/or discipline. Additionally, flight tasks may be searched by flight mission/program. A listing of metrics is provided in the Task Summary.

It should also be noted that the FY 1996 funding amounts given in this publication for ground tasks represent funds appropriated from the fiscal year 1996 NASA budget, and do not represent funding allocated from other fiscal year budgets or other agencies. FY 1996 funding amounts for flight tasks were provided by the individual principal investigators.

The Life Sciences Division wishes to thank Information Dynamics, Inc., and Universities Space Research Association personnel at NASA Headquarters and in particular recognize John Nelson (task book review process and publication manager), Bob Dunning, Elaine Makovska, Jennie Moehlmann, Lynne Powell, Keith Robertory, Lori Tyahla, and Bill Wilcox for their efforts in the development, compilation, and publishing of this report. Gratitude is also expressed to the following people who were responsible for coordinating flight task data delivery from NASA field centers: Bonnie Dalton and Frances Acosta at ARC; Dr. Jerry Homick, Elisa Allen, Sharon Jackson, and Bonnie Meadows at JSC; Dave Reed, Doug Gruendel, and Ray Wheeler at KSC.