With principal research facilities located in the United States Orbital Segment (USOS) of the International Space Station (ISS), the Laboratory conducts research in life sciences, physical sciences, technology development and remote sensing for a broad range of academic, government and commercial users.

[7] Facility managers support use of the on-station equipment for investigations from organizations other than the hardware's developer and owner, validating a business model for in-orbit commercial services at lower costs.

[12] Industries that benefit from testing include Advanced Materials, Automotive, Aeronautics, Energy, Space (flight hardware, astronaut clothing and protection), Transportation and Micro-meteoroid On-Orbit Debris (MMOD).

[12] Multi-use Variability-g Platform (MVP): a facility that provides artificial gravity, temperature, humidity, oxygen and carbon dioxide control when testing in space.

[13] It supports research in Drosophila, C. Elegans, cultured cells, plants, aquatic animals, protein crystallization, tissue chips, and functional gravity studies.

[13] MUSES (Multi User System for Earth Sensing): this facility hosts earth-viewing instruments, such as high-resolution digital cameras and hyperspectral imagers, and provides precision pointing.

[19] Nanoracks PlateReader: a laboratory instrument designed to detect biological, chemical or physical events of samples in microtiter plates.

[20] Microplate readers are widely used in research, drug discovery, bioassay validation, quality control and manufacturing processes in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry.

[20] It also has temperature control capability, making long-term incubation of samples possible, such as measuring microbial growth or monitoring gene expression.

[20] Space Automated Bioproduct Lab (SABL): can be used for experiments in the life, physical and material sciences with a focus on supporting research of biological systems and processes.

The goal is to "expand the population of stem cells that will induce regeneration of neurons and blood vessels in patients who have suffered a hemorrhagic stroke...".

[26] This kind of research is being conducted in labs on Earth using incubators, but growing the stem cells takes an extended period of time.

Scientists believe the effects of microgravity will allow the protein crystals to grow larger and with minimal flaws, which would make the structure easier to analyze.

[32] This type of research could also be useful for cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease because scientists have not been able to grow crystals of the active proteins on Earth with good enough quality to image.

[34] Scientists are also analyzing bacterial growth on the ISS and the mutations that may determine the next superbug, or strains of bacteria that have resistance to multiple antibiotic drugs.

Observing these mutations will help them develop medicines that will eliminate bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is easily spread and very difficult to treat.

Because living in microgravity accelerates the same type of problems that old age does, this researcher is interested in determining the earliest point at which T-cells become different in space.

[36] Using a machine to analyze genes, one researcher is testing whether astronauts experience genetic changes in their DNA that would cause them to have weakened immune systems when in space.

[39] In addition to the view, the ISS also provides better spatial resolution and variable lighting conditions as compared with other satellites used for Earth observation.

[42] The loss of buoyancy in space allows scientists to conduct fundamental research in fluid dynamics, combustion, and material sciences.

[43] Gaining more understanding of these concepts facilitates advances in the fields of transportation, power generation, manufacturing, and medicine; while at the same time evolving standards for safety and efficiency in multiple disciplines.

[44] That's why scientists are seeing if a new gel-like material, designed to be used to make lifelike synthetic muscles for artificial limbs used by humans and robots, could survive a trip to Mars.

Laboratory serves as a testing facility for new developments in remote sensing technology, as well as innovations in computing, electronics, and hardware prototyping.