Michael Polansky's Outer Biosciences Develops AI Model Using Living Human Skin

Aug 22, 2026

AI Summary

Michael Polansky, co-founder of Outer Biosciences, is leading efforts to create an AI model that utilizes living human skin to enhance the development of cosmetic ingredients. The company has successfully kept human skin alive for over a month, allowing for more comprehensive biological studies and faster ingredient discovery.

Michael Polansky is the CEO and co-founder of Outer Biosciences, an AI and biology startup focused on using living human skin for research and development of cosmetic ingredients.
The company has developed a method to keep human skin alive outside the body for up to a month, which allows for more detailed studies of biological processes over time.
Outer Biosciences sources discarded human skin from surgeries through vetted biobanks, ensuring donor consent and privacy.
The startup employs an AI model to predict beneficial effects of chemicals on skin functions, integrating results to improve future predictions.
Outer Biosciences has raised approximately $23 million to date and collaborates with pharmaceutical and beauty brands for research and product development.
The company aims to license its discoveries to other brands rather than create its own consumer products, with several leads expected to reach commercialization soon.
Polansky emphasizes the uniqueness of Outer Biosciences' approach, which relies on real human tissue rather than synthetic models, positioning the company distinctively in the market.

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Michael Polansky's Outer Biosciences Develops AI Model Using Living Human Skin

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