NASA runs a full program of biomedical research, with this year seeing space studies on the effect of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and drug pill properties, amongst others. Now, the agency has completed the first DNA sequences in space (1), rapidly sequencing one billion base pairs aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Why sequence in space? Sarah Wallace, project manager of the investigation at the NASA Johnson Space Center, explains, “Right now, we don’t have any abilities to diagnose infectious disease or identify any microbial contaminants that are on the ISS. The crew do take samples, but we have to wait until we get them back to our lab on Earth before we can tell the astronauts what was in the air they’ve been breathing, the water they’ve been drinking, or on surfaces they’ve been touching...”