Uute Scientific – biodiversity applied straight to your skin

Due to urbanisation Diabetes 1, allergies, asthma, and other immune-mediated diseases have become a large problem worldwide. Scientists have proven that they are to a degree caused by people moving away from nature and being less in contact with its microbial diversity. This has weakened the immune system.

For example, recent results from Russian Karelia and Finland, separated by a land border, suggest that environmental factors have greatly contributed to the increasing prevalence of immune‐mediated disorders. Infections, or rather lack of them, may be strongly involved in the development of both autoimmune and allergic diseases.

The important time for developing a properly functioning immune system is during childhood. However, if it is not possible to move to a more diverse environment or to adjust the urban lifestyle, it is possible to get the advantages of nature's microbial biodiversity another way, by applying Re-Connecting Nature®, an extract from nature.

"Re-Connecting Nature® substance includes diverse microbes from forest and agricultural environments, which aid in correcting the development of the immune system. It can come in the form of a very fine powder or have some other material shape," says Kari Sinivuori, CEO of Uute Scientific, a University of Helsinki spin-out company.

The important thing to realise is that the substance is not taken orally – yet. It is meant to be brought into contact with the skin. It can be mixed with or integrated into daily consumer products, such as fabrics and creams. Nowadays you can also find it from children´s plasticines.

The first consumer products with the Re-Connecting Nature® substance were launched in October 2020. Today, in total 12 companies are using the substance and at the moment it can be found in more than 40 products, ranging from woollen underwear by Finnish Ruskovilla, to cosmetics by Luonkos Finland Oy and Forest Pharmacy Oy, British Örn Kuu and Arctic Vet for animals.

Firm based in research

The idea of a "biodiversity powder" can be traced back to at least three recent research projects or consortiums. Of these, ADELE (Autoimmune Defense and Living Environment) consortium employed 15 people at three universities in Finland.

Its follow-up project ADELE ecosystem of the University of Helsinki and Tampere University develops solutions to prevent the development of immune-mediated diseases. The PREVALL experiment is an intervention trial which aims to reduce the probability of allergy among small children using highly diverse microbiological inoculate originating in organic materials derived from nature. The research group’s work was cited in recent World Bank report on Urban Nature and Biodiversity for Cities.

The ImmunoGarden project, led by Aki Sinkkonen, aims to develop garden and landscaping materials that are scientifically proven to enhance the diverse and healthy microbial community on the skin, and aid in the development and normal functioning of the immune system.

The University of Helsinki supports the commercialisation of innovations made by its researchers – and students – by a range of means, with the aim of solving global problems and making the fruits of research broadly available to society.

Uute Scientific Ltd was established in accordance with the commercialisation rules and processes employed at the University of Helsinki. In commercialising their innovations, researchers are assisted by Helsinki Innovation Services (HIS), a company owned by the University.