To determine the structure, researchers must grow near-perfect crystals of the protein being studied. On Earth, convection currents, sedimentation, and other gravity-induced phenomena hamper crytal growth efforts. In microgravity, researchers can grow near-perfect crystals in an environment free of these effects. Because of the enormous potential for new pharmaceutical products, the Center for Macromolecular Crystallography -- the NASA Commercial Space Center responsible for commercial protein crystal growth efforts -- has more than 50 major industry and academic partners. Experiment on STS-95
