Difference between revisions of "Team:Paris Bettencourt/Poster"

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                                 large cohort and collecting human being derived samples. In the context of a
 
                                 large cohort and collecting human being derived samples. In the context of a
 
                                 pandemic other constraints are added because of social distancing measures.</p>
 
                                 pandemic other constraints are added because of social distancing measures.</p>
−
                             <br />
+
 
 +
                             <img
 +
                                src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2020/8/89/T--Paris_Bettencourt--Poster_SkinMicrobiomeStudy.png">
 +
 
 
                             <p><b id="heading">2. Engineer the Skin Microbiome</b></p>
 
                             <p><b id="heading">2. Engineer the Skin Microbiome</b></p>
 
                             <ul>
 
                             <ul>
 
                                 <li><i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> is not used in synthetic biology and no tools are
 
                                 <li><i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> is not used in synthetic biology and no tools are
−
                                     currently available to engineer it.</li>
+
                                     currently available to engineer it</li>
 
                                 <li>Thw two main challenges in using <i>S. epidermidis</i> in
 
                                 <li>Thw two main challenges in using <i>S. epidermidis</i> in
 
                                     synthetic biology are:</li>
 
                                     synthetic biology are:</li>
 
                             </ul>
 
                             </ul>
 +
                            <img
 +
                                src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2020/1/1f/T--Paris_Bettencourt--Poster_SkinMicrobiomeEngineering.png">
 
                         </div>
 
                         </div>
 
                     </div>
 
                     </div>
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                                 <li>We took <b>ethical considerations</b> very seriously by submitting our project to
 
                                 <li>We took <b>ethical considerations</b> very seriously by submitting our project to
 
                                     the French national ethics committee in order to obtain their approval before
 
                                     the French national ethics committee in order to obtain their approval before
−
                                     starting the study.
+
                                     starting the study
 
                                 </li>
 
                                 </li>
 
                                 <li>In order to include <b>citizen participation</b>, we designed a smapling kit
 
                                 <li>In order to include <b>citizen participation</b>, we designed a smapling kit
 
                                     containing all the material required for sampling the skin microbiome and set up
 
                                     containing all the material required for sampling the skin microbiome and set up
−
                                     mailing system to ship and collect back the samples from participants.
+
                                     mailing system to ship and collect back the samples from participants
 
                                 </li>
 
                                 </li>
−
                                 <li>We are building an <b>Open Database</b> of skin microbiome during the COVID-19 pandemic.
+
                                 <li>We are building an <b>Open Database</b> of skin microbiome during the COVID-19
 +
                                    pandemic
 
                                 </li>
 
                                 </li>
 
                             </ul>
 
                             </ul>
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                     <div class="info">
 
                     <div class="info">
 
                         <!--Write the title of the section -->
 
                         <!--Write the title of the section -->
−
                         <div class="title"> Skin Microbiome</div>
+
                         <div class="title"> The Skin Microbiome</div>
 
                         <!--Write the text explaining this section -->
 
                         <!--Write the text explaining this section -->
−
                         <div class="text"> Here you can explain the engineering process behind your project. </div>
+
                         <div class="text">
 +
                            <p><b id="heading">What is the Skin Microbiome?</b></p>
 +
                            <p>The human skin microbiome is a vast and very large ecosystem of microorganisms that
 +
                                occupy the human skin at the level of the hypodermis, dermis, and epidermis. It is very
 +
                                numerous and very diverse, a real petri dish hidden in plain sight.
 +
                            </p>
 +
                            <br />
 +
                            <p><b id="heading">How the Skin Microbiome plays a role in the skin health?</b></p>
 +
                            <p>The human skin microbiome is very tightly linked to the health of its host in numerous
 +
                                ways. First of all the microorganisms of the skin microbiome prevent the colonization of
 +
                                the skin by pathological microorganisms, and help to train the immune system to make it
 +
                                more prepared to face pathogens. It also directly involved in various pathologies, like
 +
                                atopic dermatitis, where its overall diversity is reduced and Staphylococcus aureus is
 +
                                over represented.
 +
                            </p>
 +
                            <br />
 +
                            <p><b id="heading">Why studying the composition of the Skin Microbiome?</b></p>
 +
                            <p>
 +
                            <ul>
 +
                                <li>Most of the previous studies which lead to understand the skin microbiome by
 +
                                    sampling human volunteers were based on North American subjects. Form these results,
 +
                                    current evidence suggests a greater microbial diversity to be a beneficial trait,
 +
                                    however there is a need for greater diversity in the participant pools from which
 +
                                    this data is derived. Thus, a study observing human skin microbiome among a European
 +
                                    population would give new data increasing our knowledge of the skin microbiome.
 +
                                </li>
 +
                                <li>Besides the current global environment wherein a significant number of people are
 +
                                    minimizing their interactions with other people is a good opportunity to observe
 +
                                    environmental impact on skin microbiome in a more simplified model.
 +
                                </li>
 +
                                <li>Also, by taking samples from the skin microbiome during the COVID-19 pandemic, we
 +
                                    will have preserved evidence of the influence of the social restrictions induced by
 +
                                    the pandemic on the skin microbiome.
 +
                                </li>
 +
                            </ul>
 +
                            </p>
 +
                            <br />
 +
                            <img
 +
                                src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2020/8/80/T--Paris_Bettencourt--Poster_SkinMicrobiomeIllustration.png">
 +
                        </div>
 
                     </div>
 
                     </div>
 
                 </div>
 
                 </div>

Revision as of 19:45, 10 November 2020

SynDerma - The Skin Microbiome in the Spotlight:
From Sampling to Engineering

Presented by Team Paris Bettencourt 2020


Amandine Maire1, Anu Susan Kurian1, Chetan Kumar Velumurugan1, Nicolas Levrier1, Nikola Zarevski1, Valerie March1, Xavier Olessa-Daragon1, Ariel Lindner2, Jake Wintermute2, Radoslaw Ejsmont2, Alexis Casas2, Darshak Bhatt2


1Student Team Member, 2Team Mentor


Abstract

Objectives

1. Sample and Sequence the Human Skin Microbiome

Our first objective, pursued as part of the Quaranskin project, is to study the impact of environmental and behavioral factors on the skin microbiome and to provide a new database to study its composition in the context of reduced social and environmental interactions.


2. Design tools to engineer the bacterium S. epidermidis

Our second objective is to make S. epidermidis an efficient synthetic biology chassis that can be used to monitor the population dynamics of the skin microbiome. This in order to maintain its equilibrium and to avoid pathologies induced by dysbiosis.

Inspiration

In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, we were, as most of the other iGEM teams confined at home.



As this situation was unprecedented, we were wondering if the lockdown could have an impact on human health and more specifically on the composition of our skin microbiome.


We met some dermatologists as Stéphanie Leclerc-Mercier. She pointed out the fact that the new sanitary measures and hygiene habits imposed by the pandemic were a real issue for people with eczema symptoms since they cannot wash their hands as often as healthy people. This discussion drew our interest for dysbiosis induced pathologies and ways to treat them using synthetic biology.




Our team personal values led us to create a project who enters in the framework of Open and Citizen Science. Especially during the lockdown which forced us to be physically isolated of each other, we wanted to find a way to connect people through science.

Challenges

1. Study the Skin Microbiome

Human skin microbiome sampling is a challenge in itself since it implies reaching out to a large cohort and collecting human being derived samples. In the context of a pandemic other constraints are added because of social distancing measures.

2. Engineer the Skin Microbiome

  • Staphylococcus epidermidis is not used in synthetic biology and no tools are currently available to engineer it
  • Thw two main challenges in using S. epidermidis in synthetic biology are:
Responses

1. Quaranskin

Quaranskin is a study involving the collection of skin microbiome samples during the COVID-19 pandemic and observing the impact of environmental factors on the skin microbiome.

  • We took ethical considerations very seriously by submitting our project to the French national ethics committee in order to obtain their approval before starting the study
  • In order to include citizen participation, we designed a smapling kit containing all the material required for sampling the skin microbiome and set up mailing system to ship and collect back the samples from participants
  • We are building an Open Database of skin microbiome during the COVID-19 pandemic

2. EpiFlex, EpiGlow, EpiGrow

These three projects aims to develop tools to make S. epidermidis a good chassis for Synthetic biology.

  • EpiFlex is a MoClo tool kit for S. epidermidis
  • EpiGlow is the proof of concept of EpiFlex that aims to optimize transformation protocol S. epidermidis
  • EpiGrow is the optimization of S. epidermidis growth
The Skin Microbiome

What is the Skin Microbiome?

The human skin microbiome is a vast and very large ecosystem of microorganisms that occupy the human skin at the level of the hypodermis, dermis, and epidermis. It is very numerous and very diverse, a real petri dish hidden in plain sight.


How the Skin Microbiome plays a role in the skin health?

The human skin microbiome is very tightly linked to the health of its host in numerous ways. First of all the microorganisms of the skin microbiome prevent the colonization of the skin by pathological microorganisms, and help to train the immune system to make it more prepared to face pathogens. It also directly involved in various pathologies, like atopic dermatitis, where its overall diversity is reduced and Staphylococcus aureus is over represented.


Why studying the composition of the Skin Microbiome?

  • Most of the previous studies which lead to understand the skin microbiome by sampling human volunteers were based on North American subjects. Form these results, current evidence suggests a greater microbial diversity to be a beneficial trait, however there is a need for greater diversity in the participant pools from which this data is derived. Thus, a study observing human skin microbiome among a European population would give new data increasing our knowledge of the skin microbiome.
  • Besides the current global environment wherein a significant number of people are minimizing their interactions with other people is a good opportunity to observe environmental impact on skin microbiome in a more simplified model.
  • Also, by taking samples from the skin microbiome during the COVID-19 pandemic, we will have preserved evidence of the influence of the social restrictions induced by the pandemic on the skin microbiome.


Engineering
Here you can explain the engineering process behind your project.
Engineering
Here you can explain the engineering process behind your project.
Engineer
Objectives 1. Investigate the impact of behavioural factors on the skin microbiome and provide novel data base to explore its composition within the context of a pandemic.

Objectives 2. Develop tools to engineer S. epidermidis.
Control populations dynamics of the skin microbiome in order to maintain its equilibrium and avoid dysbiosis induced pathologies.
Section 1
Use this section to explain whatever you would like! Suggestions: Safety, Human Practices, Measurement, etc.
Section 2
Use this section to explain whatever you would like! Suggestions: Safety, Human Practices, Measurement, etc.
Section 3
Use this section to explain whatever you would like! Suggestions: Safety, Human Practices, Measurement, etc.
Results
What did your team achieve? What do you plan to work on moving forward?
References and Acknowledgements
If not already cited in other sections of your poster, what literature sources did you reference on this poster? Who helped or advised you?
iGEM
Here you can explain the engineering process behind your project.
Acknowledgements
Here you can explain the engineering process behind your project.