Biotia, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of novel infectious disease diagnostics, today announced its selection as an awardee in the Humans in Space (HIS) Challenge, a global innovation program led by South Korea–based Boryung Corporation. Biotia was selected as the first ever recipient for Orbital Launch Funding (OLF), a core HIS program that provides funding, strategy sessions, and partner connections to aid startups in successfully carrying out experiments in space. In a three-way partnership with Boryung and Dr. Charles Chiu at the University of California, San Francisco, Biotia will advance the development of next-generation diagnostic technologies designed to meet the extreme demands of human spaceflight and remote healthcare environments on Earth.
"This project focuses on adapting a clinically validated metagenomic sequencing-based platform to create highly portable, autonomous infectious disease diagnostics that can function reliably in orbit," said Dr. Chiu, adding that "We will leverage the same technologies that are being deployed in the harsh environment of space to support underserved populations on Earth who have limited or no access to clinical testing."
Dr. Charles Chiu is a UC Space Health researcher at UCSF.