Rapid Identification of Inflammatory Skin Diseases Using Advanced Skin and Saliva Microbiome Panel

Chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disorders (ISDs), such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, affect 20-25% population and can significantly impact physical and mental-wellbeing. ISDs are commonly diagnosed and managed in primary care, but long waits for definitive diagnoses and presentation/pathogenesis-related complexities across disparate populations present significant challenges for mainstream healthcare diagnostics/treatments. Research demonstrates that a patient's skin microbiome can dictate disease progression, with imbalances in the gut-microbiota contributing extensively to ISD development. Current microbiome-testing services analyse the skin in isolation, failing to utilise this pivotal gut-skin-axis to comprehensively evaluate skin-health and provide actionable insights based on unique microbiome-balances. In this project, Sequential and AMILI will develop a novel microbiome-test that combines insights from the gut and skin-microbiomes for superior skin-health assessment, realising rapid reductions in physical discomfort (e.g. itching) and visible symptoms via decreased waiting times and personalised/precision advice and interventions. Substantial positive mental-health impacts are anticipated alongside decreased out-of-pocket self-management expenses (e.g. from specialised washing powders and over-the-counter-creams).