The Translational Synthetic Biology lab of the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS-UPF) has published an important advance in synthetic biology with skin bacteria. Specifically, they have managed to modify the bacterium Cutibacterium acnes so that it secretes and produces molecules to treat acne.
The technique they have developed could be used to treat various skin conditions by avoiding the use of drugs that destabilise the skin microbiome.
In this video, Nastassia Knödlseder, lead author of the study, explains their results and potential applications.
Reference article
Knödlseder, N.J, et al., Delivery of a sebum modulator by an engineered skin microbe in mice. Nat. Biotechnol. 2024. Jan. doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-02072-4
About the author
Laura Valdés-Sánchez is a biologist with a PhD in experimental science education. After working for several years as a teacher trainer in the field of eco-social education, she specialised in science communication by taking a Master's degree in Scientific, Medical and Environmental Communication at the UPF-BSM. On the YouTube channel Ecopopía, she disseminates ecosocial science through cultural references.
