Laboratory Space

The SPaRTAN Physics Laboratory occupies a 2,800-square-foot facility within the Integrated Life Sciences Building (ILSB), positioned adjacent to the vivarium and embedded in a highly collaborative biomedical research corridor. The space is purpose-built to support end-to-end investigations of space radiation–induced vascular dysfunction, integrating wet lab experimentation, in vivo studies, advanced imaging, and high-performance computational analysis within a single, unified environment.

The laboratory includes dedicated BSL-2 space equipped with two Class II biosafety cabinets and a CO₂ incubator to support sterile culture of endothelial cells and platelets. A fully calibrated X-ray irradiator enables precise and reproducible radiation exposures across both in vitro systems and whole-animal models, allowing rapid iteration of experimental conditions relevant to spaceflight.

For in vivo work, a dedicated rodent surgery suite located immediately adjacent to the AAALAC-accredited vivarium supports streamlined surgical procedures, post-irradiation tissue collection, and controlled recovery protocols. This proximity allows for tight experimental timing and improved physiological fidelity in radiation response studies.

Functional characterization of vascular and coagulation responses is supported by an integrated suite of analytical platforms, including thromboelastography (TEG) for dynamic clot formation assessment and a platelet aggregometer for detailed evaluation of platelet function. Molecular and cellular analyses are enabled through a qPCR system, ELISA plate reader, and a flow cytometer configured for immune and platelet phenotyping.

The imaging core includes three confocal microscopy systems optimized for live-cell, fixed-cell, and three-dimensional imaging, complemented by an environmentally controlled imaging suite designed for long-term time-lapse studies under physiologically relevant conditions. An ultra-low temperature (-80°C) storage system supports secure, long-term preservation of biological samples.

A dedicated advanced manufacturing capability supports the rapid design and fabrication of radiation-modulating structures and experimental hardware. The laboratory maintains a suite of additive manufacturing systems, including high-resolution stereolithography (SLA) resin printers for micron-scale precision, fused deposition modeling (FDM) platforms for rapid prototyping, and an aerospace-grade fused filament fabrication (FFF) system capable of producing high-strength, engineering-class components. Together, these systems enable fabrication across a wide range of materials and structural requirements—from fine-feature radiation-modulating geometries to robust, load-bearing assemblies. Custom photopolymer materials, co-developed for controlled radiation interaction properties and minimal shrinkage, are used to fabricate complex, modular structures required for the Cosmic Ray Generator (CRG) and other radiation-shaping platforms. These components incorporate embedded interfaces for high-Z inserts (e.g., tungsten, lead, and aluminum), allowing precise tuning of radiation spectra. This integrated manufacturing capability supports rapid prototyping, iteration, and validation of novel radiation environments and shielding configurations, directly linking engineering design with biological experimentation.

The laboratory also maintains a dedicated electronics and instrumentation suite to support detector development, system integration, and custom experimental hardware. This space is equipped for precision circuit design, prototyping, and diagnostics, including oscilloscopes, signal generators, programmable power supplies, and microcontroller/FPGA development platforms. The suite supports integration and testing of radiation detection systems—including Timepix-based microdosimeters, and enables development of custom data acquisition, control, and communication architectures for both ground-based experiments and flight-ready payloads. These capabilities allow rapid iteration of instrumentation, in-house troubleshooting, and seamless interfacing between radiation sources, biological systems, and data pipelines.

Computational capabilities are anchored by a high-performance Beowulf cluster composed of 15 Mac Studio nodes, providing approximately 480 CPU cores for large-scale data processing. This infrastructure supports transcriptomic and epigenetic analysis, radiation transport and dosimetry modeling, advanced image analysis, and machine learning applications.

Together, these resources form a tightly integrated experimental platform aligned with NASA’s space health priorities—enabling seamless progression from controlled radiation exposure and mechanistic biology to systems-level analysis and predictive modeling. The SPaRTAN laboratory is designed not simply to study radiation effects, but to define the biological and operational limits of human performance in space.

SPaRTAN lab utilizes resources provided by the Texas Advanced Computation Center (TACC).TACC's environment includes a comprehensive cyberinfrastructure ecosystem of leading-edge resources in high performance computing (HPC), visualization, data analysis, storage, archive, cloud, data-driven computing, connectivity, tools, APIs, algorithms, consulting, and software. TACC's Stampede2 is the flagship supercomputer of the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), a single virtual system that scientists can use to interactively share computing resources, data, and expertise. The system features 4,200 Knights Landing (KNL) nodes — the second generation of processors based on Intel's Many Integrated Core (MIC)architecture — and 1,736 Intel Xeon Skylake nodes.