Presented by Team Paris Bettencourt 2020
Amandine Maire1, Anu Susan Kurian1, Chetan Kumar Velumurugan1, Nicolas Levrier1, Nikola Zarevski1, Valerie March1, Xavier Olessa-Daragon1,
1Student Team Member, 2Team Mentor
Abstract
Team:Paris Bettencourt/Poster
SynDerma - The Skin Microbiome in the Spotlight: From Sampling to Engineering
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.
Challenge
1. Study the Skin Microbiome
Sample human skin microbiome is a challenge in itself since it implies reaching out to a large enough 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.
- In addition to that two main challenges remain to use S. epidermidis in synthetic biology
Idea
How are you going to solve the problem? Where did the idea come from?
Skin Microbiome
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Engineering
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Engineering
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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.
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
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Human Practices, Measurement, etc.
Section 2
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Human Practices, Measurement, etc.
Section 3
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Human Practices, Measurement, etc.
Results
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References and Acknowledgements
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did you reference on this poster? Who helped or advised you?
Acknowledgements
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iGEM
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