I-Corps: Replenishing the Skin Microbiome

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/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菌和益生菌护肤品系列，以改善皮肤外观和整体健康。考虑到人们越来越多地认识到微生物群对人类健康的重要性，以及对天然产品日益增长的需求，重点是开发益生菌和益生菌护肤品系列，以适应100亿美元的有机美容市场。然而，这种做法对普通护肤品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忽略了细菌成分，转而使用刺激性的化学和侵入性解决方案。如果成功，最终的努力将转向更内在和更自然的解决方案，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防御环境污染物和外来入侵者，这一方法也为新型益生菌和益生菌产品的开发铺平了道路，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微生物来改善整体外观和健康。有益的细菌存在于人体内，帮助其正常运作，并保护其免受各种疾病的侵袭。皮肤是免疫系统最大的器官，是抵御毒素和病原体的第一道防线；有益的皮肤细菌的存在不仅对外表至关重要，而且对整体人类健康也是必不可少的。这种细菌以相互协作的表面附着群落的形式存在于皮肤上。特定细菌种类的平衡，以及对皮肤的适当附着，对于这些群落的保护有益功能至关重要。微生物群平衡的破坏和/或细菌附着在皮肤上会导致各种疾病。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，以及促进功能细菌群落建立的因素--特别是自然产生的促进细菌附着到生物表面的因素，如皮肤。基于这些结果，他们开发了一种平衡皮肤微生物群的系统，该系统利用含有活的皮肤相关细菌和益生菌因子的专利益生菌配方，促进这些细菌与皮肤的相互作用。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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.