<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-08-26T13:36:10Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/D2EF0CA2-80C4-4C51-A61C-119E6E4AF0EA" ns1:id="D2EF0CA2-80C4-4C51-A61C-119E6E4AF0EA"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/A90C56CE-1F5C-406C-A307-DA694020D02C" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/6A4C187C-F738-4944-BA5F-628A659CFA1D" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/6A4C187C-F738-4944-BA5F-628A659CFA1D" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2025-07-30T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/4BFFC073-0EEE-4A22-AF66-BBF8B818A264" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2024-04-30T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10109526</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>The Feasibility of Microbial Mosquito Repellents</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on the plant. They are **vectors of lethal diseases** including malaria and dengue which contribute to **over 1 billion infections** and **\&amp;gt;700,000 fatalities every year**. Repellents can **deter day-biting mosquitoes** but **existing repellent fall short** in **efficacy, duration and formulation.**

BugBiome's innovative platform **combines microbiology, bioinformatics and insect assays** to develop innovative **bioactive repellents** to **protect humans from mosquito bites**. In a radical departure from conventional repellents reliant on synthetic chemicals like DEET our **novel approach** will bring **natural, microbial powered repellents** **to** **market.**

This project aims to **harness the power of the skin microbiome** to create a **safe and effective mosquito repellent.** Our strategy **exploits the skin microbiome's** potential to offer a **healthier, eco-friendlier alternative** to existing chemical repellents. The **anticipated outcome** of this project is a **novel bio-repellents** specifically **designed to protect people from mosquitoes**. Through **targeted and sustainable actives**, BugBiome aims to set a **new standard in insect protection** -- one that **aligns with the consumer demand** for longer-lasting non-chemical repellents.

As we progress, our focus remains on rigorous evaluation to ensure our findings are robust and ready for real-world application. BugBiome is committed to **ecological sustainability** and is working towards a **new standard in pest management.**</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>