Overview:
NASA is seeking U.S. laboratories capable of integrated, untargeted (hypothesis-free) multi-omics analysis (specifically proteomics, glycoproteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics) from minimal-volume astronaut blood plasma and urine. The objective is to generate gold-standard, discovery-oriented molecular datasets from a single small aliquot of each biospecimen using one integrated pipeline, rather than separate samples or separate providers for each data type.
Background:
The NASA Omics Archive maintains a repository of astronaut biospecimens and a comprehensive multi-omic dataset used to study the molecular, metabolic, and microbial changes associated with long-duration spaceflight, and to help characterize and mitigate the resulting crew health and performance risks. The investigation is a joint effort with an ongoing flight biospecimen repository. Because these samples are limited, high-value assets, NASA requires a pipeline that extracts all four data types from a single small-volume aliquot.
Untargeted mass spectrometry was chosen deliberately: the raw data captures signal above the noise floor rather than only pre-selected targets, so archived datasets can be re-annotated in future years as reference libraries and peak databases improve. NASA currently relies on a single integrated provider for this capability and is surveying the landscape to determine whether other qualified U.S. providers now exist.
Constraints:
The solution must:
- Generate all four data types: proteomics, glycoproteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics – from a single <1mL plasma aliquot and a single <1mL urine aliquot
- Use untargeted, open-ended discovery analysis (untargeted mass spectrometry), not a fixed, pre-annotated commercial panel.
- Deliver raw/unprocessed mass spectrometry files plus a clean, tidy tabular output (CSV or Excel) of per-sample, per-analyte values. Minimally processed output is preferred over heavily cleaned panel output, so data can be reprocessed downstream.
- Provide QC and annotation at the individual-subject level, including the ability to show longitudinal pre-, in-, and post-flight trends for a single individual.
- Be performed entirely at U.S.-based facilities; samples must remain in the United States.
Additional considerations:
- Sample volumes are modest (low triple digits per year); high throughput is not a primary requirement. A turnaround of roughly three to six months from sample receipt to delivered output is acceptable.
- Organizational longevity and pipeline stability are preferred, given the multi-year duration of the study and the value of a consistent instrument and pipeline throughout.
- CLIA or ISO 9001 certification is helpful for contracting but not required; all data is for research use only. Population-level bioinformatics is useful but a lower priority than individual-level QC.
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Possible Solution Areas:
- Integrated mass-spectrometry pipelines that partition a single plasma or urine aliquot across all four omics (e.g., sequential extraction or other single-aliquot workflows).
- Reference laboratories and academic or institutional core facilities with an open-ended, discovery-oriented approach.
- Untargeted, discovery-mode MS acquisition capable of deep coverage across proteins, glycopeptides, metabolites, and lipids.
- Outside current scope: fixed targeted or panel-based platforms (e.g., affinity-based proteomics assays) and single-omics-only providers that cannot deliver an integrated, single-aliquot workflow.
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Field of use and intended applications:
Research into astronaut and crew health during long-duration spaceflight, including longitudinal molecular monitoring of individual crew members and discovery of markers relevant to spaceflight-associated physiological change. All data is for research use only and is not used for clinical determination.
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