The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the Florida nonprofit NASA picked last year to manage non-NASA research aboard the U.S. National Laboratory portion of the international space station, is focusing on protein crystal growth in its first research solicitation.

The June 26 solicitation notice set an Aug. 15 deadline for proposals and said the selected projects will receive grant funding and help preparing the experiment and getting it to and from the space station.

“Our science team has identified the area of protein crystallization as a primary scientific pathway that may benefit greatly from the microgravity environment,” Jim Royston, CASIS interim executive director, said in a press release announcing the request for proposals. “We are here to help researchers make groundbreaking, scientific discoveries on the ISS National Lab for the benefit of people on Earth.”