Contributors

After studying the wider aspects of microbiology at college, Barbara graduate from Kent University with BSc Hons/PhD in Biochemistry. She joined Reading University in 1985 to lecture and research various aspects of Food Science. In 1993, She joined The Body Shop working with food related/natural actives including hemp. In 1999 Barbara moved to the USA to direct Collaborative Laboratories actives team before managing Huntsman LLC Personal Care laboratory. She returned to the UK in 2004, spending the next 12 year was scientific advisor in Sales & Distribution for IMCD Group.

Nearly three years ago, Barbara joined Applied DNA Sciences, New York as Director of Personal Care and became a Forensic Cosmetic Scientist. Applied DNA Sciences secure global supply chains using unique DNA molecular tags. The advances in DNA technology that underpin both molecular-tagging and revealing our microbiome, have bought Barbara’s interests full circle, back to applied microbiology.

Dr Gottfried Dasen lectures at the Institute of Biotechnology (ZHAW) in the fields of molecular biology and microbiology. He is also a co-founder and CEO of the Culture Collection of Switzerland, a company established in 2010, that supports the life sciences community with biological material. Gottfried Dasen studied food sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich and did his thesis in the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, where he worked on molecular classification and identification of propionibacteria.

As a postdoctoral researcher, he investigated antibiotic-resistant bacteria present in food and their detection by molecular methods. Dr Dasen has worked with the microbiome in various capacities since his studies, and over recent years has specialised in the skin microbiome, particularly focusing on sampling techniques and standards.

Dr Katerina Steventon is a skincare specialist with substantial experience of working at the clinical, commercial and research interface. She has an MSc in Clinical Biochemistry and PhD in Transdermal Absorptions (phytoestrogens in post-menopausal skin). Having worked for Shiseido, La Prairie, Oriflame, Unilever, DSM and Smith & Nephew Wound Management, Dr Steventon has an in-depth knowledge of skin science in both its healthy and diseased states and a comprehensive understanding of the consumer perspective on facial skincare.

Currently she has a new role of an Innovation Consultant for National Biofilms Innovation Centre (UK) and runs an integrative private practice addressing clinical needs in acne, skin barrier dysfunction and skin ageing. The principles of good practice in skincare form the basis of her clinical work as well as enhancing the wellbeing of her clients through self-care. Dr Steventon also consults for academia, industry and retail and writes for trade journals Cosmetics & Toiletries and SPC.

Dr. Johanna Ward is a GP with a special interest in Dermatology & Nutrition. She studied English Literature at Oxford before studying Medicine at the University of London. She qualified as a Doctor in 2005 and went on to become a General Practitioner. In 2010 she set up her own skin & laser clinics and went on to win numerous awards including Best Clinic UK.

Her clinics are known for their combination of elegance, luxury & clinical excellence. Dr Ward is the go to person in the UK for anything to do with skin health & nutrition and her expertise is often called upon in the media.

Dr Markus Egert is a professor for Microbiology & Hygiene at Furtwangen University.

He studied Biology and Geoecology at the Technical University of Karlsruhe, (Germany). Subsequently, he did his PhD thesis at the Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg (Germany) in the field of Molecular Microbial Ecology, followed by a 2-year PostDoc period at Wageningen University (The Netherlands) and the Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences focusing on Human Intestinal Microbiology. After that, he joined the Henkel AG & Co. KGaA in Düsseldorf (Germany) as head of the Laboratory for Microbial Communities, where he led projects in the fields of cosmetics and domestic hygiene.

During his time at Furtwangen University, he became a founding member of the Institute of Precision Medicine (IPM).

Markus’ main research interests are the human microbiome (intestinal tract, skin) and the microbiome of the built environment of humans.

Vivienne has been involved with the beauty industry for more than 20 years, first as the editor of a number of leading international cosmetics magazines and then as a beauty specialist for Mintel. Vivienne joined Mintel in 2010 to start its series of European beauty and personal care reports, before setting up and managing the BPC Platform for several years.

During that time, she found that she enjoyed working directly with clients, shaping and presenting on trends that impacted their business and took charge of global client service, regularly running client road shows in Korea, China, the US, Brazil and India as well as Europe. In 2018, Vivienne joined Mintel’s consultancy team, working closely with beauty clients on strategic projects, running innovation workshops and conducting retail safaris.

Graduating as a medical doctor from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at Copenhagen University, Cæcilie has become an expert in the field of skin health and is currently working as a PhD student in dermatology at the Copenhagen University Hospital.

Cæcilie started her blog Makeup and Medicine that explores two of her favourite things: makeup and (evidence based) medicine.

Her blog shares her knowledge about the skin, skin disorders, skincare and the ingredients that help to support and maintain healthy. As well as educating around skin heath to her online followers, Cæcilie regularly speaks at events and contributes in beauty publications.

As a Senior Principal Research Scientist at Amway, Greg leads translational science of the skin microbiome through both in-house research an external university and industry partnerships.

Greg’s keen interests in the skin microbiome began in the mid-90s while working in Japan as Principal Scientist with Procter & Gamble, this intensified into a full-blown passion in 2012 when he joined Amway. He lived and worked in Japan for 7 years on an ex-pat assignment for P&G gaining direct experience and insight into Asian consumer needs and the Asian beauty market.

With a career spanning over 30 years, he received his BS degree from Michigan State University, his PhD degree from Baylor College of Medicine and did his postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois, all in biochemistry. He has over 40 publications and 10 patents with several of his inventions successfully commercialized, most notably the technology platform for the VISIA Complexion Analysis System by Canfield Scientific.

Greg is also a professional alto and soprano saxophonist, but not yet good enough to leave his day job!

Dr. Bartholomeus (Tom) van den Bogert, Product Manager Metagenomics at BaseClear, has a background in Medical and molecular Microbiology. His PhD-research focused on community and genomic analysis of the human small intestine microbiota.

He continued as Postdoc in the same laboratory where his work had a primary focus on composition and transcriptome analysis of complex microbial communities before joining BaseClear in 2015 where he implements novel technologies to enable high-level research of microbial communities.

He manages multiple large research projects at BaseClear for leading international companies involved in food related research as well as participates in (clinical)research studies to elucidate complex microbial ecosystems.

Erica is a London-based nutritionist specialising in skin health. Having spent 16 years working in the fashion and beauty industry and experiencing her own struggles with acne, Erica found her calling in the form of bio medicine and nutritional therapy, which she studied for three years.

Following this, Erica founded wellness platform Naturally Nourished, where she shares her evidence-based health and beauty articles and recipes, many of which aim to promote healthy skin. Using her extensive knowledge around the relationship between nutrition, Erica provides personalized nutrition and lifestyle plans to address her clients skin concerns.

A regular contributor to online health and beauty publications, Erica also hosts many talks and workshops on nutrition and skin health.

Jasmina Aganovic is the brand founder and President of Mother Dirt, a line of personal care products built around Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB), which current hygiene practices have stripped from the modern microbiome. She is a cosmetics and consumer goods entrepreneur who received her degree in chemical and biological engineering from MIT. 

Her career path combined her technical background with roles at consumer brands like LVMH, Fresh, and Living Proof. Launched in 2015, Mother Dirt challenges what it means to be clean and healthy by actively restoring live bacteria to the skin. It has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fast Company, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Dr Richard Aron, Consultant Dermatologist, has over forty years’ experience specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of atopic eczema.

He is the internationally renowned creator of the Aron Regimen for the treatment of atopic skin disease (ASD). His online consultation service for patients worldwide, is unique, and has revolutionised how ASD may be managed and has enabled him to treat patients from all over the world in the last decade.

Dr David Heath is Founder and Chief Executive at Cutitronics, a multi-award winning beauty-tech company.

Founded in 2014, the Scotland-based company develops a range of pioneering CutiTron-branded technologies. It uses digital devices, platform technology and mobile apps to analyze skin in real time and dispense the precise quantity of product needed at that particular moment.

David has degrees in both physics and engineering, and throughout his PhD and post-doctoral research, he was focussed on transdermal medical technology. After realizing his expertise could be used to address challenges facing the global cosmetics industry, he spun Cutitronics out of the University of Strathclyde.

In 2014, he was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering ERA Entrepreneur of the Year and was invited to join the RAE Enterprise Hub. He was appointed a Fellow of the ERA Foundation the following year.  

Laura Macdonald is a Nutritional Therapist, based in Buckinghamshire and registered with the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. She works with clients on a broad range of wellness concerns but has a special interest in digestive health and the role of the gut microbiome in supporting physical and mental wellbeing and how nutrition can affect microbial diversity and balance. 

Julia has a Masters of Public Health in Nutrition with her main expertise in nutritional epidemiology. She has been working as a nutrition scientist and clinical research associate with DSM Nutritional Products for 12 years. Her broad background in nutrition science, agriculture and microbiological process development allows her to write about topics as diverse as nutritional security, the gut microbiome, food production, clinical trial ethics and the effect of genetic polymorphisms on nutrient needs. Her research interests include the identification of nutrient gaps in the population, and the relationship between nutrient intakes and nutritional status.

Dr. Rawlings is a leading consultant in the health & beauty industry, where he consults, advises, presented on behalf of and has acted as R&D director for cosmetic companies, food companies, pharmaceutical companies including wound care & dermal delivery companies, retailers and suppliers on functional skin & hair care technologies. Dr. Rawlings brings over 40 years of experience in R&D, including 32 years of research in skin biology at several senior management levels in Food and Personal care companies in the UK & USA.

In 2009 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Societies of Chemistry and Biology and to be an honorary member of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists and most recently Fellow of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists. He is visiting professor at the London School of Pharmacy and now UCL. He is the author/co-author of over 200 papers, book chapters and abstracts and has filed over 50 patents in areas of skin & food science.

He has received several literature & presentation awards from the American Academy of Dermatology (1992), The Society of Cosmetic Chemists (1994), The International Federation of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (1996 & 2016), The International Society for the Bioengineering of the Skin (2004) & the International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2007 & 2018) together with the SCC Maison de Navarre 2019 award.

He was Chief Editor of the International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2004-2009), was the Co-Chair the Gordon Research Conference on Mammalian Barrier Function (2007) together with many Stratum Corneum conferences and is co-editor of the first and second editions of ‘Skin Moisturization’ published in 2002 & 2009 respectively and ‘Acne and its Therapy’. He is an expert in skin biology especially stratum corneum biochemistry, the mechanistic interactions of cosmetic ingredients with skin and clinical together with objective testing methods.

Alex has worked in consumer research for the last 10 years, spending 7 of those focused on beauty and skincare. At Mintel, she shows beauty clients the best ways to make sure their innovations and marketing messages reach the right shoppers.

Dr Eva Kulik is a research associate and head of laboratory in the Research Department at the UZB – University School of Dental Medicine in Basel, Switzerland.

After being trained as a teacher, Eva studied Biology at the Biozentrum in Basel, Switzerland, where she also did her PD thesis in the field of Molecular Biology. She then switched to the vast field of Microbiology focusing on oral bacteria. In her present position at the UZB – University School of Dental Medicine, Eva lectures medical and dental students about the fascinating world of oral microorganism as well as coordinating the workflow in the research labs. Eva’s main research interest is the oral microbiome with a special focus on antimicrobial agents, both chemicals or substances from natural sources, and bacterial resistance against these agents.

Amy Fleming is a freelance writer and editor and a former staff features journalist at the Guardian. She covers health, science and culture for publications including the Guardian, 1843, Newsweek, New Scientist, Vogue and BBC Focus.

Hannah English is an Australian pharmaceutical scientist with clinical research experience in metastatic melanoma treatment. She has an BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Science and an aptitude for educating on the sun’s impact to skin health.

Her blog shares her uniquely accessible, pharmaceutical approach to skincare and ingredients, with a focus on daily sunscreen use and helping followers to find the right sunscreen for them. As well as digital skin health education, Hannah contributes to beauty publications and consults with brands on their digital marketing.

Lavienja Schreurs-Braam studied Health Sciences and Epidemiology at Maastricht University, The Netherlands, where she did her PhD on vitamin K research at the department of Biochemistry at the same university. At the end of her PhD she started her research in skin biology and for this research project she met cosmetologist Patrick Gonry.

Combining their knowledge on skin biology (Lavienja) and cosmetic ingredients (Patrick), they received the inspiration for developing together a no-nonsense skin care brand with a focus on skin health.

Vavin skin care products are marketed to Beauty Professionals in the Netherlands & Belgium.

Kristin was always curious on how life works, as a result she studied Microbiology in Germany and in the USA. Now with over 12 years of experience in microbiology, novel antibacterial technologies and the microbiome she has the mission to create awareness about the microbiome with the internet platform www.mymicrobiome.info.

On top of that she developed a standard which helps the customer to make the right choices for their microbiome and the manufacturer to formulate microbiome-friendly products: the “Microbiome-friendly” seal of quality for cosmetics, which will soon be complemented with a certification of probiotics in nutrition.

Dr Dalida Chouchi is a French scientist with over 20 years of experience in applied chemistry R&D (green process development), innovation strategy and global regulatory compliance. She has worked in both the public and private sectors with international experience spanning Portugal, the UK, France and Switzerland. In 2018, she joined DSM as Regulatory Specialist, with a focus on the microbiome & probiotics, and now holds the position of Global Regulatory Affairs Manager,  Cosmetic Ingredients.

She is passionate about advising and supporting businesses in relation to the strategic integration of regulatory requirements and standards, developing the right approach for each market to ensure high level of marketing compliance.

She has a wealth of experience in setting up and monitoring the regulatory compliance programs for large multi-national companies across  a broad range of sectors: Cosmetics & Healthcare (e.g Alliance Boots), CNRS (French National Research Center), Consumer & Luxury Goods (e.g Richemont) and Trade Bodies.

Elba holds a PhD in Material Science from Nanyang Technological University.

Her research focused on the development of skin therapies with natural antimicrobials to avoid the use of antibiotics. She has developed products for sensitive skin in collaboration with the Skin Research Center Singapore.

Previously, she graduated with a BSc in Biotechnology Engineering and worked for a couple of years in R&D for a biopharmaceutical company in Mexico.

Elba is very interested in new active ingredients and technologies for the development of skincare products and believes that the future of dermatology resides in the study of the microbiome.

Laura is an experienced freelance dietitian and health writer. She has written for many brands and is a monthly columnist for Women’s Health Magazine. With over 10 years of nutrition practice in areas including weight management, gut health and sports nutrition, Laura is seriously passionate about how the food we eat makes us feel, think and live. Skilled in creating engaging, expert content across digital and print media, Laura’s goal is to educate and inspire action, by translating nutrition science into meaningful content.

Laura is the host of The Gut Loving Podcast, and is co-author of The IBS Guide and Get Gutsy. You can find her on social media @nutritilty where she talks nutrition, wellbeing and wild swimming. 

Ben Eshelby is a compounding pharmacist and cosmetic scientist with a passion for bringing evidence-based science to skincare.

As a pharmacist with 20 years of experience, Ben witnessed first-hand a large number of skincare treatment failures and noted a distinct lack of evidence behind the formulations of many medically marketed moisturisers and personal care products. He set about creating evidence-based formulations, focussing on repairing the skin microbiome to treat common skin problems presenting in the pharmacy. Inspired by the success of these products, he then applied the same principles to create a range of personalised products focussing on skin health and beauty.

He is the founder of Border Compounding Pharmacy, BCP Skincare and has a manufacturing service that specialises in formulating and manufacturing microbiome-friendly products and products for clients. 

Zoe Woodhouse holds a master’s degree in Biochemistry. Her five-year long battle with acne inspired her to pursue a career in the cosmetic industry, in which she works in both B2B and B2C science communications. She also has experience as a freelance skincare writer for dermatology clinics, aesthetic practices and digital beauty platforms. Zoe is an online content creator, combining evidence-backed science with skincare and breaking down cosmetic ingredients on her Instagram account (@the.skin.scientist). 

Mathias Gempeler holds a Ph.D. in pharmacy, with a postgraduate in Marketing. Until July 2017 he held the position as Head of Global Marketing for Skin Care at DSM and was responsible for creating and executing the global growth strategy.

Since August 2017 he is responsible for the global research for bioactives and vitamins with his team. At the same time, he took over the scientific lead for DSM’s activities in the skin microbiome field.

With a background in Biology and Business management studies (ESSEC Business school, Paris), Aline Hueber is responsible for the Microbiome competence and product development for the Cosmetic business division of DSM. She has been working in the cosmetic industry in different marketing functions for 15 years in Europe and Asia managing various portfolio (skin bioactives, sun care, sensory and performance products).

Dr. Riccardo Sfriso holds a M.Sc. Degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology from the University of Padova in Italy and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Bern in Switzerland. As a member of the PCA Science and Promotion team, Riccardo leads all microbiome activities in R&D and is a study director in charge of planning and management of clinical efficacy studies.

He published in high-impact scientific journals and has been invited at several congresses and expert meetings as keynote speaker representing DSM’s scientific expertise.

Dr. Skotnicki received her undergraduate degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of Toronto. She completed medical school at the same institution, graduating Alpha Omega Alpha. She went on to complete her dermatology training at the University of Ottawa, and was awarded her fellowship in Dermatology by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in June 1997. She is a Diplomat of the American Board of Dermatology and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, Department of Medicine in the Divisions of Dermatology and Occupational

Dr. Skotnicki has been practicing in the Toronto area since 1997. She is currently on staff at  St. Michael’s Hospital as a Consultant Dermatologist. At St. Michael’s she is a member of the Occupational Disease Specialty Program ODS, and is responsible for seeing complex Allergic and Occupational skin diseases. A leading expert in Allergic Skin Disease, she is one of a handful of dermatologists in Canada with a sub-specialty interest in Allergic Contact Dermatitis and Patch or Allergy Skin Testing. She is an also a consultant for the Workplace Safety Insurance Board and the WSIAT Workers Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal.

Active in research and education, Dr. Skotnicki has been teaching University of Toronto Dermatology, Allergy and Family Medicine residents at her St. Michael’s Hospital clinic since 1999. She is also a member of CREOD, the Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, and has published articles on different aspects of Allergic Skin Disease.

Quoted in Flare, Glow, Elle Canada, Toronto Life Fashion, Zoomer, Chatelaine, Oprah Magazine, Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The New Yorker and The Atlantic, Dr. Skotnicki is a contributing writer for Allergic Living Magazine, where she answers patients’ questions quarterly. Her radio and televisions appearances include Breakfast TV, ET Canada, CTV, City TV, Global News, Shop Toronto and CBC Radio.

She has also been a consultant for Oil of Olay, Neutrogena and Lubriderm, a previous member of the Dove Advisory Board and was the spokesperson for KAO, a company that represents Jergens, Bioré & Curél.

Dr. Skotnicki published her first popular science book “Beyond Soap” with Penguin Random House in Canada and the US.  It is a bestseller in Canada and was written to help the public navigate the increase in skin reactions to cosmetics and skincare. It also explains in detail the rise in eczema and sensitive skin in developed society and offers science-based explanations. It was released in Russian translation Dec 2020.

Currently working for DSM nutritional sciences as Principal Scientist. Rehman’s research investigates the functional interplay of intestinal microbiota in the context of diet, disease, genotype and environmental perturbations. The ultimate goal is to identify microbial communities influencing host health and disease status and translating that into a clinical application.

Dr Rehman has co-authored over 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Before joining DSM, Rehman worked as a senior research scientist for about 14 years at Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel, Germany. Subsequently,  he joined DSM as EMEA principle scientist in February 2019. His focus is to support and develop nutritional ingredients in to products, which are beneficial for human health.

Dr Lionel Breton carried out his PhD in 1982 in Endocrinology at the lab of R.Michel and J.Roche and received it from the College de France in Paris (Paris VI, Fr) followed by a State Doctorate in Pharmacology in Poitiers’ School of Medicine (Poitiers University, Fr) in 1985.

After a position in Servier Laboratory as Project leader in neuro-pharmacology, Lionel joined L’Oreal corporate in 1993 as a Research Department Director and Scientific Director and finished in 2021.

He is currently Co-Founder and CSO of IDEC therapeutic (Telostim brand) and CEO of CILIA Consulting. He is also visiting Professor/affiliate member in the prestigious university McGill in Montreal and Guest Editor for Frontiers and Microorganisms.

Lionel is an expert on neurobiology and physiology, skin neuroimmunology, skin microbiome, and the gut-skin axis.

He is the co-inventor of some national patents and applications (espacenet results/world database) and of some blockbusters. He has been published more than 80 papers in in peer-reviewed journals and is frequently invited to give plenary conferences or keynotes.

Before co-founding IntPact in 2018, Raphaël was the CIO of SpecialChem, a digital marketing company providing business development and innovation acceleration services for Chemicals & Materials companies.

Raphaël has strong experience in designing new business development and innovation processes leveraging digital technologies to gain on growth speed and efficiency.

He also has past experiences in R&D and Sales management at companies like Solvay, Sabic (formerly GE Plastics) and more.

He holds a Ph.D. and an Engineering degree in Polymer Sciences from the University of Strasbourg (France).

Cat is a British vet and graduated from Bristol Veterinary School in the early 2000s. She works in the north of England as a vet caring for pets in a local clinic.  As well as really enjoying her work with her clients, Cat also has a passion for helping owners on a wider scale and has social media pages and a blog where she writes regularly about animal health and welfare.

Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, is the registered dietitian, best-selling author, and single mom of 3 behind the Instagram account, @healthy.mom.healthy.kids. She is a top nutrition influencer and trusted expert in local and national media outlets and publications including The Doctors (CBS), U.S. News and World Report, Sirius XM Doctor Radio, Newsweek, Well + Good, Health, Reader’s Digest, Insider, HuffPost, CNN, and Food Network. Malina owns a nutrition consulting company and private practice (MalinaMalkani.com), dedicated to helping parents feed their babies and kids with confidence. She is the author of Simple and Safe Baby-Led Weaning: How to Integrate Foods, Manage Portion Sizes and Identify Allergies and the creator of two online courses for parents called, Safe & Simple Baby-Led Feeding, and Solve Picky Eating. A former national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, she completed her undergraduate degrees at Northwestern University and master’s degree in clinical nutrition at New York University.

Instagram @healthy.mom.healthy.kids

Facebook @MalinaMalkaniNutrition

Pinterest @healthy.mom.healthy.kids

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/malina-linkas-malkani-ms-rd-019321104/

Twitter @MLMalkani

Martin Pagac, PhD, has a longstanding interest in better understanding how human skin interacts with its associated microbiome. At DSM, he contributes to translation of the newly gained knowledge into development of microbiome-based cosmetic applications.

Luciana Uttembergue D’Elia, a Brazilian national, holds an Executive MBA, a degree in Chemistry and Cosmetics Technology, and a degree in Pharmacy and Biochemistry.  She has 15 years of experience in the cosmetics industry in both Latin America and in the US.  She has been with DSM for 10 years is currently the Senior Technical & Marketing Manager responsible for Personal Care NA.

Brian Grady, Sr. Marketing Specialist, has been with DSM since 2019. He has conducted extensive market research and analysis in multiple industries including Personal Care, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverage and Technology. In Personal Care, Brian has provided valuable market insights to several industry news platforms. Additionally, Brian is the Sustainability Ambassador for DSM Personal Care in North America. In this role, he is responsible for monitoring and promoting sustainability in the Personal Care industry.

At DSM, Rolf is the Lead Study Director and Scientific Affairs Adviser for the Science and Promotion team Sun Care. He brings over 20 years of experience in different R&D/technical roles for the cosmetic ingredient industry. He joined DSM in 2007 via the acquisition of Pentapharm. Rolf holds a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Bern and completed his postdoctoral studies in genetic engineering at Stanford University.

One of his core expertise is connecting chemistry and skin biology to translate in claim substantiation for Sun and Skin Care actives, with a special focus on photobiology. Rolf was the leading scientist for product launches in the field of anti-aging, pollution, epigenetics, blue light, and microbiome. Rolf is currently supervising the clinical studies for the US registration of bemotrizinol. He is the author/co-author more than 60 publications and patent filings for Skin and Sun Care actives and is a member of the Swiss SCC.

Mahdi Ghanbari is a microbiome scientist with nearly a decade of experience in analyzing microbial communities using advanced techniques such as 16S amplicon sequencing, Metagenomics, Metatranscriptomics, and Metabolomics. His expertise spans human health, animal health, food, and environmental projects. Currently leading the Research Team GUTOMICS at Tulln Research Center, Austria, he is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of microbiomes for a healthier world.

Joleen is a Ph.D. scientist specializing in skin microbiology, focusing on fungal pathobionts’ impact on skin health. Her strong passion for skin care and microbiome research helps her to bridge academia, consumers, and industry partners together by translating complex science into accessible insights to drive advancements in skin health understandings.

Over 30 years of research experience in end-to-end drug discovery, with a unique background spanning Academic, Commercial, and Government expertise including seven years building two research organizations in Asia.  A globally respected opinion leader in skin, hair, and microbiome research who builds and executes programs which leverage discovery, translation, and clinical R&D.  Successful track record of aligning stakeholders and funding, attracting world class talent and leading them through collaborations to discoveries, high impact publications, and patents.  A proven teacher and communicator who translates complex ideas and concepts into understandable terminology.  Currently Senior Principal Investigator leading a sizable group in the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, A*STAR, the Singapore governmental translational research facility.

Dr. Ahmed Tlili holds a PhD in aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology, with a focus on microbial communities. His research interests are an interplay between fundamental and applied science. He has more than 15 years of experience in assessing the potential environmental impact of chemicals on the water bodies, by using aquatic biofilms as a biological interface. Ahmed recently joined the Science and Promotion team Sun Care at DSM-Firmenich, with a focus on the environmental aspects related to photoprotection.