Sequential Wins New Grant To Propel Skin Microbiome Research

Sequential Skin Ltd., a skin genomics start-up that developed a skin microbiome testing kit, has been awarded an Innovate UK SMART Grant to fund a project on advancing current understanding of the skin microbiome in healthy and diseased skin using its novel testing kits.

This $500,000  project will be funded over 18 months to further the understanding of genetic and skin microbiome inputs, during disease progression, that may lead to helping to identify and stratify patients in the future, according to Sequential.

“We see a future where patients with recurrent and debilitating skin conditions are diagnosed in a highly precise way, at the point of care, which can then be followed by effective and targeted treatment”, said Oliver Worsley, CEO, and co-founder.
Sequential will work alongside dermatologists in the NHS to recruit patients and benefit from clinicians experienced in atopic dermatities

“As a dermatologist, Sequential's technology will be highly disruptive in changing the way AD patients could be diagnosed and better treated in the future. I'm proud to be involved with the Sequential team in this project,” Dr Natalya Fox, a Dermatology Registrar at St George's Hospital in the UK, said in a statement.

Sequential's skin microbiome testing kit for the personal care industry has been validated with more 30 personal care, pharmaceutical, or skincare companies to help evaluate how formulations affect the health of the skin. This has led to a vast database of biological data from the skin, according to the London-based company.

Sequential was the first company in the world to offer a consumer microbiome test, opening up the possibility of personalization and improving skin health. The company has made significant progress in using its novel skin microbiome testing kit for the use of evaluating personal care products, allowing for next generation sequencing in vivo.

Innovate UK is the UK's national innovation agency. It support business-led innovation in all sectors, technologies and UK region; it helps businesses grow through the development and commercialization of new products, processes, and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate.