Ep. 31 Zero G, Crystals and Keytruda: Space MD Builds the New Frontier of Drug Design

In this episode, we have a, high-energy conversation with Molly Mulligan and Ken Savin from Space MD about how space-made crystals are changing drug development on Earth. Their team grows protein crystals on the International Space Station because in zero gravity, the structures form more perfectly, revealing details that scientists can’t see on the ground. One of their first successes was Keytruda, where space-grown crystals helped refine molecular structures that shaped a blockbuster therapy. We also cover running experiments in orbit, scaling the model for everyday pharma, and what happens when microgravity becomes just another R&D tool. It’s biotech, but cosmic.