Overview
Topical therapies are fundamental to the treatment of inflammatory and barrier-compromised skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis, chronic wounds, and post-procedural recovery. However, most conventional creams and ointments act only through hydration and occlusion, providing temporary relief while functioning as biologically passive systems.
About this opportunity
Many formulations rely on petroleum-derived excipients, synthetic stabilisers, and broad-spectrum preservatives that may disrupt the skin microbiome, contributing to dysbiosis, delayed healing, and poorer long-term outcomes. There is therefore an urgent need for more sustainable and biologically intelligent materials that work with, rather than against, the skin’s ecosystem.
Natural and microbially derived polymers offer a promising alternative. Polysaccharides, proteins, and biofabricated biopolymers are biodegradable, biocompatible, and sustainably sourced, while often exhibiting intrinsic hydration, film-forming, and prebiotic properties. These characteristics make them ideal candidates for skin-contact materials that not only protect the barrier but also actively support beneficial microbial communities. Despite this potential, their use as functional encapsulation matrices for advanced topical delivery remains underdeveloped.
Encapsulation provides a powerful route to enhance therapeutic performance. By incorporating emollients, probiotics, prebiotics, or anti-inflammatory agents within polymer micro- and nano-structures, it is possible to protect sensitive actives, enable sustained or triggered release, and prolong skin residence time. Importantly, encapsulation within natural polymer systems may allow selective modulation of the skin environment, promoting commensal microorganisms while limiting opportunistic pathogens.
This PhD project will develop next-generation encapsulation platforms based on renewable, naturally and microbially derived polymers. The student will engineer biodegradable particles, films, hydrogels, and coatings capable of controlled delivery and barrier support, and translate these systems into multiple topical formats including patches, thin films, and 3D-printed constructs. Materials will be fabricated using green processing approaches and characterised for encapsulation efficiency, release behaviour, mechanical performance, hydration capacity, biodegradability, and compatibility with in vitro skin and microbiome models.
Delivered in collaboration with industrial partner Croda International, a global leader in sustainable ingredients for personal care and health, the project offers a strong translational focus and exposure to real-world formulation challenges.
Overall, the research aims to move towards sustainable, microbiome-active biomaterials that restore barrier function and improve skin health. The successful candidate will gain interdisciplinary training in polymer chemistry, formulation science, and microbiological analysis, preparing them for careers in sustainable healthcare and advanced materials development.