From Space to Skin: Zero Gravity Sciences’ Breakthrough in Beauty

Intro:
Welcome to Launch Pod, where we chat with innovators who are overcoming challenges, pushing boundaries, and collaborating to make space more accessible and sustainable for humanity—one launch at a time, one small step for man. Here’s your host, Susan Wise.

Susan Wise: Welcome to Stars Launch Pod, Space Technology and Research Sciences. I’m Susan Wise, and I’m welcoming Dr. Malav Trivedi, founder of Zero Gravity. Hi Malav, how are you doing?

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Good. How about you, Susan? Thank you so much for having me on this podcast. I’m really excited to share some of my learnings and to learn more about what you’re doing with Stars Launch Pod.

Susan Wise: I am too. I mean, we’re kind of partners, I guess.

Dr. Malav Trivedi: In a way, we are.

Susan Wise: Tell me more about Zero Gravity.

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Sure. Before I begin, I should share a bit about my background. I’m a pharmacist by training, and I did my master’s and PhD in neuroscience, studying something called epigenetics. Epigenetics is basically how environmental factors—such as sleep, diet, nutrition, exercise, toxins from pollution, and so on—can affect gene expression.

The air you breathe or the food you eat can affect you on a day-to-day basis. I studied how metabolism is linked with epigenetics, and how the body’s metabolism can affect gene expression.

While I was doing this research, I came across work on stem cells—specifically how epigenetic changes in stem cells can influence their developmental paths. We all start as embryonic stem cells, and those cells divide and specialize into kidney cells, liver cells, brain cells, and so on.

Susan Wise: Some people have more brain cells than others, right?

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Maybe theoretically, but not practically! What I was studying next was how microgravity—zero gravity—could affect stem cell development and formation. I came across a technology NASA had developed in the ’60s and ’70s for microgravity simulation using bioreactors. These have now flown on nine space missions and been used on the International Space Station to culture stem cells.

Dr. David Pollock and I founded Zero Gravity Sciences to adapt this zero-gravity bioreactor technology—but for plant stem cells and plant tissue culture. That’s how Zero Gravity Sciences began. Over time, we’ve expanded beyond plant sciences into hydroponics, nanoparticle delivery systems for pharmaceuticals, and nutrition-based delivery systems.

Susan Wise: Wow.

Dr. Malav Trivedi: In later episodes, I’ll talk more about those, but for today I’d like to focus on plant stem cells and plant bioactives.

Susan Wise: How do we use those plant stem cells? What do we use them in?

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Plant bioactives have strong applications in dermatology. The “aha” moment came when David and I noticed parallels between NASA’s stem cell research and the challenges of preserving delicate plant actives on Earth.

NASA developed this technology to grow 3D human stem cells in zero gravity—an environment without forces or oxidation that can damage cells. We realized the same principles could be applied to botanical tissues on Earth to preserve their biochemistry during cultivation and extraction.

When we ran competitive analyses, we saw two to three times higher retention of antioxidants, amino acids, and vitamins compared to conventional heat or solvent-based extraction methods. That’s when we knew we had a breakthrough.

We realized we could create a new ingredient category for skincare, cosmetics, and dermatology, and we’ve since expanded into nutrition applications.

Susan Wise: So you can really do something with this.

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Absolutely.

Susan Wise: That’s fascinating. It’s amazing how research for one purpose can end up improving everyday life.

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Absolutely—and that’s what science is about. Taking the best of nature, extracting its benefits, and bringing it back to human applications.

Susan Wise: Over your career, what has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

Dr. Malav Trivedi: One of the biggest challenges was translating space-grade technology into a commercially viable platform without losing scientific integrity. NASA’s processes involve precision-engineered bioreactors, zero-gravity simulations, and highly controlled culture environments.

Bringing that to Earth meant scaling up, ensuring cost efficiency, meeting regulatory compliance, and—importantly—communicating it so consumers understand how NASA technology can benefit their skincare or nutrition.

It required building a network of engineers, scientists, biochemists, brand developers, and marketers who could bridge the technical with the practical. That’s what we’ve done with Zero Gravity Sciences—turning fascinating lab experiments into transformative tools for skincare, nutrition, and agriculture.

Susan Wise: I love that. You never know what discoveries are just around the corner when you bring people together.

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Exactly.

Susan Wise: What one piece of advice would you like to give our listeners today?

Dr. Malav Trivedi: I feel I’m still young to be giving advice, but from my experience, I’d say: stay curious. That’s where connections between seemingly unrelated fields happen. Curiosity drives exploration, but it must be grounded in solid science—reproducible, peer-reviewed, validated science. That’s what earns trust and ensures longevity.

Also, don’t try to be an expert in everything. Surround yourself with people whose skills complement yours. AI and other tools are valuable, but they’re only as good as the experts using them. Build bridges—not just between ideas, but between people—and create a community where everyone rises together.

Susan Wise: I love that—and I can’t wait to talk to you more about Zero Gravity down the line. There’s a lot to unfold. Thank you so much for joining us on Stars Launch Pod.

Dr. Malav Trivedi: Thank you, Susan. I look forward to sharing more as we progress.Susan Wise: And to our listeners—if you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review, subscribe, and until next time—keep looking up.