Modern techniques accelerate agent research. One such method is fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) from Vermicon AG in Munich. It is possible to identify bacteria that are previously undetectable with traditional methods, such as cultivation in nutrient media. Researchers can observe the bacteria right on the skin and thereby reveal interactions.

About one trillion bacteria live on the human body. The exact composition of the microflora is equivalent to a genetic fingerprint. Moreover, the composition of the bacteria changes in response to internal and external influences such as age, hygiene, environmental conditions and hormones. The more researchers learn about the basic relationships between skin microflora, the more directly they will be able to solve individual skin problems in the future. There is enormous potential here.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH):
In situ hybridization (ISH) is the name given to methods that make visible the molecule genetic material – RNA or DNA – in tissue, cells, cell nuclei and chromosomes. They can therefore be used to localize DNA and RNA directly in biological preparations – in situ, i.e. on site. The FISH method for identifying bacteria is a special form of in-situ hybridization. It makes use of tiny DNA probes which carry a fluorescent label. The DNA probes bind only to the RNA molecules of the target bacteria. These bacteria glow when the sample is exposed to UV light, and can therefore be localized under a microscope. The FISH method for applications in the cosmetics sector was developed for Henkel by Vermicon AG.