Skin bacteria control of sensory function in response to environmental perturbations
Grantee: Simone Di Giovanni, Professor, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
Amount: DKK 3,997,382
Grant category: Research Grants in open competition
Year: 2025
Geography: United Kingdom
Skin innervation is our sensory interface with the ever-changing environment undergoing fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Sensation needs to account for these fluctuations to regulate sense of touch, pain, movement, learning and memory, sexual and social conduct. More than 100 million bacteria that reside on the human skin are the first line of response to environmental perturbations. Variable humidity, salinity, temperature, and oxygen affect bacteria metabolism and diversity. Simone Di Giovanni therefore hypothesise that bacteria are required for sensory function affecting complex behaviours in response to perturbations in temperature and humidity. This bears implications for human physiology, health and resilience on earth.