The World, the Universe and Us Space 2075: How Humanity Will Live, Work and Make Drugs off-planet | Live Recording at the Royal Society
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Oct 13, 2025 
Join Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, as she shares her exhilarating journey in space and highlights how weightlessness affects the human body. Irene Di Giulio discusses her work towards making space accessible for astronauts with disabilities, exploring innovative projects like the ESA FLY initiative. Meanwhile, Katie King reveals how microgravity can revolutionize drug manufacturing, potentially leading to at-home cancer treatments. Together, they envision a future where humans thrive in space, leveraging technology for exploration and healthcare.
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Disability Could Reframe Space Physiology
- Irene Di Giulio frames a testable hypothesis that some physical impairments may adapt better to space physiology than able-bodied norms.
- She is studying a recruited astronaut with a lower-limb amputation to measure whole-body adaptability in orbit.
Microgravity Improves Crystallization
- Katie King explains microgravity removes sedimentation and convection, enabling superior crystallization of proteins and materials.
- That improved crystal quality can transform injectable biologics into concentrated, at-home formulations.
Use Approved Drugs To Speed Approval
- Katie King will use already-approved drugs to convert into crystalline forms, shortening regulatory timelines compared with novel drugs.
- She advises leveraging existing approvals to accelerate translation of space-made formulations to clinical use.