Space Research on the ISS: Ryan Reeves on Innovation & Discovery

Susan Wise:
Hi, and welcome to Stars Launch Pod: Space, Technology, and Research Sciences, brought to you by StarSciences.org, where we connect, collaborate, and accelerate.
I’m your host, Susan Wise, and I’m excited to welcome today’s guest, Ryan Reeves, Technical Director of Research and Innovation at the International Space Station National Laboratory.
Ryan, thank you for joining us today.

Ryan Reeves:
Thank you for having me. I love talking about the science we’re doing up there in space right now, and I’m looking forward to our conversation.

Susan Wise:
Yes, it’s a very exciting time! I just heard about Artemis II—that’s pretty big news. So, what are you currently working on to further the space industry? And tell me a little bit more about what you do.

Ryan Reeves:
Sure. What I do is work with researchers to get their experiments from the ground up to the ISS. It’s a very unique platform—being able to access the microgravity environment and even the external space environment outside the ISS itself.
But that comes with a lot of challenges. It’s not a simple task to take something you’re doing on Earth and just send it into orbit.

We work with a number of commercial partners—what we call implementation partners. These are companies that often own and operate hardware housed on the ISS. They also help shepherd researchers through the process and operate their experiments in space.

Our goal at the ISS National Lab is to make the most of the incredible opportunity we have—getting as much science and technology development as possible with the time we have left aboard the Station.

The research we support spans a wide range of areas—everything from cancer research to next-generation materials for electronics and healthcare, 3D-printed tissues, satellite refueling, and much more.

Right now, we’re wrapping up our inaugural accelerator program called Orbital Edge. This program was created in partnership with venture capital firms Siri E 2 MC and Stellar Ventures. They’re providing funding, and we’re providing ISS access to help companies test and prove out their technologies.

There are six companies currently participating—working on things like shielding satellites from radiation, improving thermal management in space, and even using the olfactory system (our sense of smell) to better understand the progression of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Susan Wise:
I’ve heard about that!

Ryan Reeves:
Yes—and they’re also exploring ways to use that same pathway to deliver drugs more effectively. So, we’re very excited to see what comes from these projects. And while we’re doing this research off Earth, it’s all designed to benefit life on Earth.

Susan Wise:
That’s really exciting. I’ve heard about the connection between smell and Alzheimer’s, and of course the cancer research—it’s all so fascinating. It’s amazing that these kinds of experiments can take place aboard the International Space Station. What has been your biggest “aha” moment?

Ryan Reeves:
That’s a great question. You know, when I was in college and early in my career, I wasn’t really into space that much. I thought it was cool—I’d talk with friends about dark matter and dark energy—but it felt pretty disconnected from daily life.

Then, when I started working at the ISS National Lab, I began to see how the research being done in space for decades—especially aboard the ISS for nearly 25 years—directly impacts life on Earth.

For example, studying cancer and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s in space is unique because the stress that cells experience in microgravity mimics aging. This means disease progression happens faster, allowing us to study it more efficiently and test treatments sooner.

Another example: we’ve supported a company called Lamb Division that’s working to create artificial retinas in space. In microgravity, materials form more uniformly—resulting in a better-quality product.

Susan Wise:
Creating artificial retinas in space—that’s incredible!

Ryan Reeves:
Yes, to help people here on Earth. That’s the kind of thing that really inspires us.

Susan Wise:
I didn’t even know that was happening! I think most people have no idea how much important research is being done aboard the ISS and the progress that’s being made.

Ryan Reeves:
Exactly. It can be hard to reach the general public with all that’s happening in the world right now. But when you share these stories, it really opens people’s eyes.

Another example—Merck, the pharmaceutical company, worked with us for years. In the 2010s, they flew their cancer drug Keytruda to the ISS. In space, the crystals they formed were much smaller and more uniform than those grown on Earth.

That’s important because the surface area of the crystals affects how a drug is released in the body—similar to how small ice cubes melt faster than large ones. This uniformity allows for better drug control.

Just two weeks ago, Merck received FDA approval for a new injectable form of Keytruda QLX, which improves patient comfort and accessibility.

Susan Wise:
That’s amazing!

Ryan Reeves:
It really is.

Susan Wise:
You’ve shared a lot of successes—but I’m sure there have been challenges, too. What’s been one of your biggest challenges, and how did you overcome it?

Ryan Reeves:
In the early days, one of our biggest challenges was awareness. Not many people had heard of the ISS National Lab or knew they could send research to space. So, we did a lot of outreach—what we called “Destination Station” roadshows—with NASA’s ISS program office. We visited different cities to introduce companies to the idea of conducting research in space.

Once awareness grew, funding became the next challenge. We could provide the ISS as a research platform, but not necessarily cover all the costs of developing experiments. So, we built partnerships—with the National Science Foundation, which has now supported over ten years of microgravity research, and with the National Institutes of Health for tissue chip studies.

Now, our challenge is actually demand. There’s so much interest that we have to carefully prioritize which projects move forward. Everyone knows the ISS won’t be up there forever, so maximizing every opportunity is critical.

Susan Wise:
If the ISS won’t be up there forever, what will take its place?

Ryan Reeves:
NASA is already working on what’s called the Commercial LEO Destinations Program—for “low Earth orbit.” Several companies, including Axiom Space, Blue Origin, Voyager Space, and Vast, are developing the next generation of space stations. Vast, for example, plans to launch Haven-1 as early as next year.

There are also private efforts outside NASA’s program, like Varda Space Industries, which has sent up smaller capsules for drug crystallization research. So, there’s a lot coming next—we just want to pave the way for that future.

Susan Wise:
That’s encouraging. What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share with our listeners today?

Ryan Reeves:
When I first started, I had to unlearn something: we take gravity for granted. It’s constant—never a variable. But when you remove it, everything changes. For instance, NASA’s studied how flammability changes under different acceleration levels. Some things burn more easily, others less so.

Thinking “off-world” doesn’t just mean Mars or deep space—it means reimagining what’s possible when you remove constraints. It’s about applying that mindset to improve life on Earth: better materials, faster communications, and even new treatments for diseases.

So, my advice is: don’t just ask what NASA needs—ask what you could do if your biggest limitation disappeared.

Susan Wise:
That’s powerful. Before we wrap up, do you have a passion project you’d like to share—past or present?

Ryan Reeves:
Yes! One of my favorites involves fiber-optic cable production. NASA studies showed that a special glass called ZBLAN could make better optical fibers than the silicon ones we use now. On Earth, crystals form inside the fiber, degrading performance—but in microgravity, those crystals don’t form.

A few years ago, a company called Flawless Photonics drew miles of this fiber aboard the ISS—over three miles in one run! That’s the kind of milestone that blows my mind.

Susan Wise:
That’s incredible.

Ryan Reeves:
It really is. And it’s thanks to collaborations between the ISS National Lab, NASA, and our partners.

Susan Wise:
I love hearing these success stories.

Ryan Reeves:
If I can, I’d like to promote two quick things. First, we currently have a funding opportunity open in collaboration with the National Science Foundation—focused on transport phenomena like fluid physics, thermal transfer, and material science. You can find details at issnationallab.org/opportunities.

Second, if you want to learn more about the amazing research happening aboard the ISS, check out our digital magazine Upward, available at issnationallab.org/upward.

Susan Wise:
Thank you so much for sharing your story and for everything you’re doing to advance space research—and not just for space, but for improving life here on Earth. Thank you, Ryan.

Ryan Reeves:
Thank you for the opportunity—I really appreciate it.

Susan Wise:
Ryan Reeves, Technical Director of Research and Innovation at the International Space Station National Laboratory. Thanks for joining us on Launch Pod.

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