Sun Exposure Impact on Skin Microbiota Composition in Holidaymakers

The skin microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining epidermal homeostasis. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and other environmental challenges can impact the skin microbiota through direct and indirect mechanisms. In their study, Abigail K. Langton from the University of Manchester and her team, aimed to investigate the effects of sun exposure on the skin microbiota and…

Commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis contributes to skin barrier homeostasis

Previously either regarded as insignificant or feared as potential sources of infection, the bacteria living on our skin are increasingly recognized for their role in benefitting human health. Skin commensals modulate mucosal immune defenses and directly interfere with pathogens; however, their contribution to the skin’s physical integrity is less understood. In their study, published in…

Unlocking the Potential of Hydrogen Sulfide as a Healthy Ageing Therapeutic When Specifically Targeted Within Cells

Future therapies to help people live healthy lives for longer could be developed from drugs that release tiny amounts of the gas hydrogen sulfide (H2S), new research has indicated. A study from the University of Exeter, funded by the US Army and charity The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, found that targeting tiny amounts of H2S…

Bacteriophages and Microbiome in Dermatology: Potential Therapeutic Strategy

News release, Skin Challenges Task Force – July 24 Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are viruses that selectively target and infect bacteria. In addition to bacterial dysbiosis, dermatologic conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis are characterized by a relative reduction in the abundance of phages and the overgrowth of the corresponding bacteria. Phages…

Pregnancy and Fetal Cells: New Actors in Wound Healing

Wound healing is a complex biological process that involves various tissue structures and cells, both local and distant. One significant factor in this process is the presence of fetal microchimeric cells (FMCs) that enter the maternal circulation during pregnancy. These cells not only engraft into different organs but also nest in the maternal bone marrow…

Hallmarks of Aging: An Expanding Universe

In their review published in Cell Press Journal, López-Otín et al. stated that aging is driven by hallmarks fulfilling the following three premises: (1) their age-associated manifestation, (2) the acceleration of aging by experimentally accentuating them, and (3) the opportunity to decelerate, stop, or reverse aging by therapeutic interventions on them. They proposed the following…

Accelerated Wound Healing: Breakthrough Treatments

Patients who undergo skin injuries endure hospital stays, infection and/or succumb to death; therefore, advances in wound healing aim to improve clinical practices underlying macroscale healing to effectively intervene in microscale pathophysiology. As a result, strategies that optimize wound healing have motivated the design of new therapeutic products. In a new report in Science Advances, Benjamin…

Artificial Skin: Sensing Touch and Proximity that Exceeds Natural Skin

Credit: The KonG/Adobe Stock As lovers might vouch, complex nuances of touch, including nearness sans physical contact and gradations of tactile pressure, convey a rich sensory experience and multi-dimensional cognitive pursuits. Intelligent interactions between biological entities or machines and organisms require artificial skins that can perceive fluctuations of intensity and pre-contact proximity. Until now, advances…