Team:Paris Bettencourt

Body malodor has been a problem for humans engaging in social interactions throughout history, and is caused by skin bacteria metabolizing sweat into odorant compounds. Currently, people can either mask body odor with perfumes, or by preventing sweat using an antiperspirant.

The Paris-Bettencourt iGEM team aims to provide a third, more natural way, to put an end to body malodor using synthetic biology. Currently, there are four ongoing projects targeting armpit, foot, fish, as well as old person odor. The techniques used to eliminate the odor for each case will involve replacing malodorous bacteria and the compounds they produce with non-malodor producing bacteria. The team is also using bacteria to produce a smell database, where primary odors could be combined in bacteria to produce novel smells. The results of this project could go a long way towards helping eliminate body malodor, and allow people confidently engage in social interactions without the influence of bacteria produced malodorous compounds.