After nearly three years of work, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released the Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences Research in Space 2023-2032 (new study report) earlier this week. Commissioned by NASA, this report provides funding recommendations to policy makers in Washington, D.C., and research priorities for the space science community over the coming decade.
The 450+ page report, “Thriving in Space – Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023-2032,” includes recommendations to implement a comprehensive strategy and vision for transformative science at the frontiers of biological and physical sciences research in space.
Loma Linda University School of Medicine professor, Michael Pecaut, PhD, was one of the 18 scientists selected to serve on the steering committee. He played a significant role in shaping several of the study’s key chapters that defined important biomedically relevant research questions that need to be addressed by the NASA community over the next decade.
Loma Linda University has a long-standing history of collaboration with NASA in both clinical and research domains. Given that the decadal recommends at least a ten-fold increase in funding for space science, decisions made by federal and state policymakers could have a positive impact on Loma Linda University’s future research funding and continue its legacy of contributing to advancements in space science and healthcare.
Pecaut is the vice chair of the Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences and the co-director for the Neuroscience, Systems Biology, and Bioengineering program within the Department of Basic Sciences. For over three decades, Pecaut has been involved in spaceflight research, including multiple experiments on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.