Skin Microbiome – Analysis for Dermatology

Bioinformatics for dermatology covers everything from analysing the skin microbiome to revealing insights into skin-ageing.  At Fios Genomics, dermatology is one of the research areas we specialise in. In fact, we have provided bioinformatics solutions for a wide range of dermatology projects from research into atopic dermatitis to sun-damage.

Analysing the Skin Microbiome

At Fios we regularly conduct microbiome analyses, focusing on various different areas such as skin microbiome and gut microbiome. To illustrate our expertise in skin microbiome analysis, we refer to the MAARS Project (Microbes in Allergy and Autoimmunity Related to the Skin). This project used human skin samples to investigate the skin microbiome for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. The overall aim of the project was to study the effect of the skin microbiome on autoimmunity and allergy, using these two skin diseases as examples.

Our team contributed to the project with high-throughput analysis of both microbiome and transcriptomic data to understand mechanisms and pathways of action for the initiation of allergic or autoimmune skin reactions. You can learn more about our involvement in the MAARS project in our project blog. Also, the project results were published in Nature Communications:

Microbe-host interplay in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis
2019 – Nanna Fyhrquist, Gareth Muirhead, Stefanie Prast-Nielsen, et al.

Bioinformatics and Dermatology

At Fios, we perform many bioinformatics analyses that can benefit dermatology research, such as:

• Analysing data from skin-ageing experiments
• Differential profiling in skin diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis
• Identifying biomarkers for measurement of drug efficacy and mechanism of action
• Predicting biomarkers for stratification/classification of patient response to drug
• Methylation profiling
• Analysis for skin microbiome research
• SNP genotype analysis & DNA sequence analysis for the detection of novel SNPs implicated in disease or response to drugs
• Target and lead identification and validation

If you are unsure if bioinformatics analysis could benefit your particular dermatology project or if you would like to know more, then contact us today. We are always happy to discuss skin research projects and advise where bioinformatics analyses could benefit.

Other Dermatology Projects we Have Worked On

In addition to the MAARS project which studied the effect of the skin microbiome on autoimmunity and allergy, and benefited from Fios Genomics’ analysis solutions, we have worked on projects involving:

• Sun exposure/sun-damage
• Skin ageing
• Skin diseases
• Dandruff

You will find further details of our experience and bioinformatics services relating to dermatology on our Dermatology Services page.

Author: Breige McBride, Content and Social Media Manager, Fios Genomics
Reviewed by Fios Genomics Bioinformatics Experts to ensure accuracy

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