Applications 



manages the Technology Utilization Program, which maintains offices and 

 technology applications teams at each field center, and it funds the Scientific and 

 Technical Information Facility. These organizations serve as active transfer agents of 

 NASA technical information, and they promote applied engineering. Another OCP 

 responsibility is facilitating the flow of technical information from NASA 

 laboratories through a series of publications, including 'Tech Briefs," which 

 describe NASA-developed innovations in concepts, devices, and processes; Spinoff, 

 which reports on a selection of products derived from NASA technology; and the 

 Patent Abstracts Bibliography, which lists NASA inventions. In addition, the 

 OCP provides computerized access to various NASA data bases and computerized 

 networks to link various technology utilization centers. The OCP also provides 

 financial support to the Commercial Centers for the Development of Space, 

 identified above. The office recently established three university centers in the life 

 sciences, as discussed in the next section. 



Applications Research and Technology 

 Transfer in Life Sciences 



The Life Sciences Division at NASA Headquarters is the organizational entity 

 primarily responsible for life sciences program planning and development. 

 Currently, there are no Division staff specifically assigned to review projects for 

 applications possibilities, nor does anyone in the Division represent Life Sciences 

 in the process of technology transfer. Support for life sciences applications 

 research and technology transfer relies primarily on the NASA field centers, on 

 OCP efforts, as well as on projects supported by the Space Station Office. Certain 

 Life Sciences programs do, however, have commercial potential. 



Commercial Centers Established by the 

 Office of Commercial Programs 



The OCP provides funding of up to $1 million to establish commercial develop- 

 ment centers. NASA also offers scientific and technical expertise to these centers, 

 as well as opportunities for cooperative activities and other forms of continuing 

 assistance. Additional funding comes from corporate and university affiliates, 

 which are expected to increase their support to sustain the centers after a period 

 of 5 years. 



The paragraphs below identify the three university centers established in the past 

 3 years that are specifically concerned with life sciences applications and technol- 

 ogy transfer. 



Center for Macromolecular Crystallography, University of Alabama, 

 Birmingham. This center, established in 1985, specializes in microgravity crystal 

 growth of biological materials identified by participating firms in the pharma- 

 ceutical, biotechnology, and chemical industries. The center's goal is perfection of 

 the technology for space-based material processing of biological crystals. 



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