Nasa has announced a partnership with a Dundee charity to base a new research centre in the city.
The US space agency has partnered with Kids Operating Room (KidsOR) to research new oxygen-generation technology.
Millions of lives are lost each year to respiratory infections caused by a lack of oxygen in hospitals.
The partnership will see KidsOR test an innovative technology – developed by Nasa – to generate medical-grade oxygen on-site in hospitals.
The charity will form a Nasa Research Centre at its base off the Kingsway.
The new technology – Medical Ceramic Oxygen Generator, or “M-COG” – will undergo engineering tests at the site.
If successful, it is hoped children will no longer die unnecessary deaths because of a lack of oxygen.
Dundee charity’s Nasa partnership has ‘life-changing potential’
Garreth Wood, co-founder and chairman of KidsOR, said: “Our partnership with Nasa has significant and life-changing potential for patients across low-resource settings.
“Access to surgery in low- and middle-income countries is incredibly challenging, particularly in those areas experiencing war, climate-related challenges, or civil unrest.
“I am extremely proud that our expertise in developing complex surgical facilities in low-resource setting, and training the local teams to independently sustain their own service, has made us the perfect partner to work with Nasa on this exciting research project.”
M-COG has been developed by Nasa for possible use in future missions to the Moon or Mars.
John Graf, Engineer at Nasa, added: “It is amazing to think that technology being developed to help get humans to Mars can help to save lives along the way.
“While we at NASA often use established technology, the unique demands of space exploration sometimes require us to develop new solutions, which must be thoroughly tested on Earth first.
“The chance to explore how we deploy M-COG in hospitals for Kids Operating Room in low-income countries is a perfect example of this synergy.”
It comes as a Dundee business has designed components that will be used in a mission to Jupiter.
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