Biomedicine and biotechnology use the principles of engineering to explore biological functions and develop biological applications to increase the quality of life, enhance productivity, and contribute to health and longevity. Biomedical and biotechnological research in the context of space science helps advance the potential for manned space flight, and for the use of space-related research and technology for the benefit of Earth's population.

USRA's Division of Space Life Sciences (DSLS) supports NASA's requirement to understand and counteract the physiological changes that accompany space flight.