P&G pioneers the use of ‘Omics’ in beauty
Fusion of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics offers new approach to skin and hair science
Procter & Gamble says it is making strides in the breakout field of ‘Omics’ and is applying research in this area to illuminate new pathways to advanced beauty and grooming innovations. The ‘Omics’ approach brings together genomics, the study of gene expression; proteomics, the study of proteins and their changes as a result of gene activity; and metabolomics, which studies how changes in genes and proteins impact biochemical processes within the cell. According to P&G, these tools allow it to monitor 9.4 million gene changes and hundreds of protein expression changes or metabolites in a single experiment.
“The ‘Omics’ revolution significantly changes the way we analyse, think about and experience beauty and grooming,” commented Dr Jay Tiesman, principal scientist, global biotechnology division, P&G. “It changes the rules of the game and gives us an unrivalled insight into the complete map of our biological processes, opening up possibilities that will help us solve the molecular puzzles of beauty and grooming science.”
The company claims it is now using ‘Omics’ tools to drive an advanced and holistic understanding of consumers’ beauty and grooming needs. In addition to collaborations with bodies including the Institute for Systems Biology, P&G has combined ‘Omics’ with advanced human skin cell models to identify ways to help older skin appear like younger skin. This approach has already delivered new evidence on the differences between male and female skin in the area of UV sensitivity, says P&G.
