<?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="2026-06-22T07:57:45Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/F2B58B5C-CAB4-4B1C-8155-2123ED18A1F5" ns1:id="F2B58B5C-CAB4-4B1C-8155-2123ED18A1F5"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/AF2EF00A-C1C2-48B5-AB64-9A845075DD93" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/4349B02D-184B-462D-B771-949440497ED4" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/4349B02D-184B-462D-B771-949440497ED4" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2028-03-30T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/CAD9FC1B-4D3F-4A18-A92C-13D87D34BC1C" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2025-03-31T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10139881</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>Rapid Identification of Inflammatory Skin Diseases Using Advanced Skin and Saliva Microbiome Panel</ns2:title><ns2:status>Active</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>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).</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>