Sunscreen from Space? Delavie’s Kyle Landry Turns Space Microbes into Skincare
Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez sit down with Dr. Kyle Landry, President and Co-founder of Delavie Sciences, to explore how extremophiles—microbes that survive in the harshest environments on Earth and space—are unlocking new frontiers in skincare and longevity. Kyle shares his unconventional path from food science to biodefense to NASA collaborations, revealing how a microbe that survived 18 months outside the International Space Station became the foundation for a groundbreaking sunscreen ingredient. The conversation dives into longevity science, microbial resilience, the future of skincare as true preventative health, and the entrepreneurial challenge of scaling biotech innovations from test tube to industrial reactors.
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - Introduction to the episode and the Grow Everything podcast
(00:00:49) - Aging by Biotech NYC event overview
(00:03:35) - Tips on being a great moderator
(00:04:03) - Keys to moderating well: preparation and audience engagement
(00:07:20) - Notable absence of space topics at longevity event
(00:09:40) - Guest introduction: Dr. Kyle Landry and his background
(00:10:13) - Story of how the hosts met Kyle Landry
(00:11:42) - Career journey from food science to skincare
(00:14:27) - Inspiration from space research leading to Delavie Sciences
(00:17:25) - How Delavie’s product works at a molecular level for sun protection and anti-aging
(00:20:43) - Evolution of the space microbe and cultivation on Earth
(00:22:31) - What it means for a microbe to “sit outside the space station”
(00:23:26) - Professional connections with other Grow Everything guests, Chris Mason and Dr. Kate Rubins
(00:24:29) - Potential for Delavie to expand beyond skincare into new industries
(00:26:11) - Lessons from researching extremophiles and challenges of working with new organisms
(00:28:22) - Role in mentoring students and researchers
(00:31:36) - Rethinking health and resilience in biotechnology
(00:33:20) - Exploring the “product versus platform” dilemma in biotech entrepreneurship
(00:34:48) - How Delavie functions as both a technology platform and a product company
(00:36:29) - Corporate partnerships and product applications of Delavie’s ingredients
(00:38:53) - Clarification: using microbial compounds, not live bacteria, in products
(00:39:59) - Importance of protecting the skin microbiome without disrupting it
(00:42:46) - The future of skincare and longevity
(00:45:03) - Quick-fire questions begin
(00:45:19) - Weirdest place to hunt for a microbe
(00:45:31) - Bio-fact most people don’t believe but should
(00:46:48) - Personal skincare non-negotiable
(00:48:20) - Would you rather halt or reverse aging?
(00:48:51) - Weirdest place a sample has been collected
(00:51:14) - Post-interview reflections and discussion
(00:52:54) - Takeaways from the interview and the concept of convergence
(00:54:03) - Conversation on Umami flavor and UV light spectrums
(00:56:00) - Regulatory differences in sunscreen between the US and Europe
(00:58:14) - Announcement of the BioFabricate Fair and listener discount code
