Humans have been exploring space for more than 50 years. However, it is only recently that space and microgravity are being leveraged for the benefit of humanity on Earth. Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb are pioneering pharmaceutical innovations in space. Both companies are actively conducting research in microgravity to investigate how they might be able to leverage the weightless environment to improve protein crystallization and reformulate existing pharmaceutical drugs. This session will hear from Astronaut Kate Rubins who is a microbiologist and the first person to sequence DNA in space and provide insights on the importance of space as a viable strategy for new product development.