Course Outline
INTRODUCTION – an introduction to microbiology and the various types of microorganisms that will be discussed in the context of cosmetic care.
- Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
- 3 Domains of Cellular Life
- Skin biogeography
- Skin microbial homeostasis and dysbiosis
- Positive contributions of multiple microbial inhabitants
- Human Microbiome Project
- Culture-based investigations
- Culture-independent investigations
- Different sequencing technologies
BACTERIA – introduction to the term “bacteria” that many have heard, but perhaps not fully comprehended what these microorganisms are and their fundamental impact on skin health.
- Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteriodetes
- Specific bacterial species of interest to cosmetic care
- How are bacteria investigated by microbiology
- How are specific bacteria linked to skin diseases and disorders
- How do certain bacteria contribute to skin health
- Introduction to the Archaea – who are they?
FUNGI – dive into another significant portion of the skin microbiome – eukaryotic microbes – the Fungi
- Yeasts versus molds
- Fundamental differences with eukaryotic cells
- Malassezia
- Candida
- Rhodoturula
- Microbiological investigations of fungi
VIRUSES – a deep dive into the non-cellular members of the skin microbiome that have significant ramifications on both humans and the environment; there are perhaps even greater misunderstandings with regard to viruses than their bacterial counterparts.
- How viruses are classified – the Baltimore classification system that categorizes viruses but also provides evolutionary context
- DNA versus RNA genomes
- Genomic organization
- Unique pathogenesis of viruses versus cellular counterparts
- Are viruses truly alive?
- Why there is a continued debate among microbiologists?
- Philosophical answers
- Bacteriophages – are they the answer to the looming crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?
- History of phage therapy
- Modern successes with phage therapy
- Regulatory landscape questions
- How are viruses studied?
- Metagenomics
- Molecular techniques
- What are some of the positive applications of viruses beyond bacteriophages?
WHAT CAN BE LEVERAGED FROM AN UNDERSTANDING OF MICROBIOLOGY BY COSMETIC CARE PROFESSIONALS?
- Will these endeavors lead to lasting changes in how we approach cosmetic care?
- How might regulatory agencies view this type of research?
- Most importantly: How might the consumer respond to this type of research and the resulting products with their microbiome claims?
- How can knowledge of microbial characteristics and their behavior be leveraged toward understanding preservative systems and the necessity of product preservation?
- What are prebiotics? Probiotics? Post-biotics? Synbiotics?
- What are the regulatory concerns?