Written by: Ellen Daniels, CEO BCGA and Life Sciences Week Advisory Board Member
At BCGA, we’re used to dealing with the highly practical and safety-critical applications of gases in hospitals, labs, industry, and logistics. However, as a trustee of WM Life Sciences Week, and a lifelong science fiction fan, I can’t help but be excited about where all this expertise might take us next.
From the hyperdrive engines of Star Wars to the replicators and cryo-pods of Star Trek, I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of life beyond Earth. What’s remarkable now is that some of those futuristic visions are fast becoming scientific reality, and compressed gases are playing a key role in making it happen.
Oxygen, CO₂, and the Balance of Life
One of the most critical systems aboard any space mission is life support, and at its heart are gases. The International Space Station (ISS) maintains an Earth-like atmosphere using compressed oxygen, while carbon dioxide is constantly scrubbed to protect astronaut health.
These systems are finely engineered, and the knowledge behind them isn’t all that different from what BCGA members bring to hospitals, operating theatres, and high-tech research labs here on Earth. It’s a great example of how the expertise we develop in everyday industries also underpins some of humanity’s most extraordinary ventures.
Cryogenics in Orbit
Cryogenics might not get much attention outside of sci-fi, but we at BCGA have published extensively on its safe use. In science fiction, it’s often used to preserve space travellers between star systems, but in real-life space biology, it’s essential. Liquid nitrogen and other cryogenic gases make it possible to store biological samples on long missions, run controlled experiments, and return materials safely to Earth.
From preserving stem cells to stabilising protein structures for drug development, these systems support vital research aboard the ISS. And while we’re not freezing humans (yet), we are preserving life, in the name of science.
Why This Matters to the Midlands
I believe this is an area where the region can truly shine. Our engineering expertise, our life sciences innovation, and our commitment to sustainability all align closely with the needs of the emerging space sector.
There’s a significant opportunity here for collaboration, from contributing to closed-loop life support systems to trialling sustainable gas technologies in extreme environments. The space sector isn’t just about rockets; it’s about precision, resilience, and pushing the limits of what’s possible.
West Midlands Life Sciences Week plays a vital role in promoting that potential. By bringing together leaders from research, education, industry, and government, it provides a platform to showcase the region’s capabilities, explore new areas for innovation, and spark the kinds of cross-sector partnerships that space-focused work increasingly depends on.
If we want to take our regional strengths into global, and even off-world, opportunities, it starts with connecting people and ideas here at home. WM Life Sciences Week is helping make that happen.
From Science Fiction to Applied Science
Growing up with Star Wars and Star Trek, I was drawn to the big ideas: exploration, problem-solving, and how science could shape the future. Today, it’s striking how many of those once-fictional concepts are now the subject of serious research. Life support systems, cryogenic preservation, biological growth in space, these aren’t just stories anymore, they’re real-world projects.
Seeing how compressed gases underpin so much of this work, from enabling research on the ISS to supporting sustainability in closed environments, reinforces just how relevant our sector continues to be. It’s a reminder that even highly specialised, behind-the-scenes technologies have a meaningful role to play in shaping what comes next.
Looking Ahead
As we approach WM Life Sciences Week, I hope we continue to look beyond the immediate horizon. Cross-sector collaboration between life sciences, engineering, education, and industry will be essential in tackling some of the biggest questions we face, both on Earth and beyond.
Our region is well placed to be part of that conversation, and the compressed gases sector has an important role to play not just in keeping life going, but in enabling research, innovation, and long-term thinking in entirely new environments.
Space biology might sound futuristic, but the work to support it is already underway.
