I-Corps: Replenishing the Skin Microbiome

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是基于其对促进平衡的人类微生物区系的关注。该项目旨在商业开发一种新型益生元和益生菌护肤系列，以改善皮肤外观和整体健康。考虑到微生物区系在人类健康中的重要性日益得到认可，以及对天然产品的需求不断增长，我们的重点是开发益生元和益生菌护肤产品线，以适应100亿美元以上的有机美容市场。然而，这种方法对一般护肤和医疗保健市场具有更广泛的影响。目前，大多数治疗湿疹和牛皮癣等皮肤病的方法都忽略了细菌成分，而是使用苛刻的化学和侵入性解决方案。如果成功，努力最终将转向更内在和自然的解决方案，帮助身体自我愈合，而不会进一步破坏皮肤的完整性。由于皮肤及其相关细菌有助于保护身体免受环境污染物和外来入侵者的侵害，该方法还为新型益生元和益生菌产品铺平了道路，以促进强大的免疫功能。这个I-Corps项目的重点是使用皮肤相关的微生物来改善整体外观和健康。有益的细菌存在于人体上，帮助它正常运作，并保护它免受各种疾病的侵害。皮肤是免疫系统最大的器官，也是抵御毒素和病原体的第一道防线;有益皮肤细菌的存在不仅对外观至关重要，而且对人体整体健康也至关重要。这些细菌作为合作的表面附着群落存在于皮肤上。特定细菌种类的平衡以及与皮肤的适当附着对于这些群落的保护性有益功能至关重要。微生物区系平衡和/或细菌附着到皮肤的破坏可导致多种病症。为了促进皮肤健康，研究人员已经确定了特定的有益皮肤细菌，以及促进功能性细菌群落建立的因素-特别是天然产生的促进细菌附着到生物表面（如皮肤）的因素。基于这些结果，他们开发出了一种平衡皮肤微生物组的系统，该系统利用了含有活的皮肤相关细菌和益生元因子的专有益生菌配方，促进这些细菌与皮肤的相互作用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is based on its focus on promoting balanced human microflora. The project aims at commercial development of a novel prebiotic and probiotic skincare line to improve skin appearance and overall health. Considering the increasing recognition of the importance of microflora in human health and the growing demand for natural products, the focus is on developing prebiotic and probiotic skincare product lines to fit within the $10-billion+ organic beauty market. However, the approach has broader implications for the general skincare and healthcare markets. Currently, most treatments for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis ignore the bacterial component, instead utilizing harsh chemical and invasive solutions. If successful, efforts will ultimately shift toward more intrinsic and natural solutions that aid the body in healing itself, without contributing to further disruption of skin integrity. As the skin and its associated bacteria contribute to defending the body against environmental contaminants and foreign invaders, the approach also paves the way for novel prebiotic and probiotic products for promoting robust immune function. This I-Corps project focuses on the use of skin-associated microorganisms to improve overall appearance and health. Beneficial bacteria exist on the human body, helping it function properly and protecting it from various diseases. The skin is the largest organ of the immune system and the first line of defense against toxins and pathogens; the presence of beneficial skin bacteria is essential not only for appearance, but also for overall human health. The bacteria exist on the skin as cooperating, surface-attached communities. A balance of specific bacterial species, as well as proper attachment to the skin, is essential for the protective beneficial functions of these communities. Disruption of the microflora balance and/or of bacterial attachment to the skin can result in a variety of disorders. To promote skin health, the investigators have identified specific beneficial skin bacteria, as well as factors that promote the establishment of the functional bacterial communities--in particular, naturally produced factors that promote the attachment of bacteria to biotic surfaces, such as the skin. Based on those results, they have developed a system to balance the skin microbiome that utilizes proprietary probiotic formulations containing live skin-associated bacteria and prebiotic factors, which promote the interactions of these bacteria with the skin.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.