Science
The Microbiome: Nature's Operating System
From human health to agriculture and environmental remediation, microbial communities drive biological systems at every scale. Understanding these ecosystems is the foundation for Dakota's technology platform.
A World of Microbiomes
Microbial Communities That Shape Every Ecosystem
Microbiomes are not limited to the human body. Complex microbial communities exist in soil, water, plants, and built environments — regulating nutrient cycles, supporting crop health, decomposing pollutants, and maintaining ecological balance. The global microbiome represents one of the largest untapped frontiers in biotechnology, with applications spanning human health, agriculture, food production, and environmental remediation. Dakota's encapsulation platform is designed to deliver viable probiotics across all of these domains.
Human Health
The Body's Living Shield
The human body hosts trillions of microorganisms — bacteria, fungi, and viruses — that form complex communities across the skin, gut, and mucosal surfaces. These microbial ecosystems actively regulate barrier integrity, immune response, nutrient absorption, and pathogen defense. When these communities are balanced, the body thrives. When they are disrupted — a condition called dysbiosis — the consequences range from chronic skin conditions to systemic inflammation.
Current Focus
The Skin Microbiome
The skin microbiome is the body's largest microbial ecosystem and its primary interface with the environment. Specific bacterial species play essential roles in maintaining barrier function, regulating pH, and training the local immune system. Disruptions to this ecosystem are linked to dermatitis, acne, accelerated aging, and impaired wound healing. Dakota's initial clinical programs target skin applications — using our encapsulation platform to deliver live, viable probiotics directly to the skin surface where they colonize, compete with harmful organisms, and produce beneficial metabolites in real time. The microbiome's impact extends beyond what is visible on the skin's surface. The gut-skin axis — a well-established area of research — demonstrates that gut microbiome health directly correlates with skin health outcomes. This scientifically validated connection is one reason Dakota's platform has implications far beyond topical delivery alone.
Looking Ahead
Beyond Skin: A Platform for Every Microbiome
Dakota's encapsulation technology is not limited to dermatological applications. The same phospholipid bilayer delivery system that protects probiotics for skin application can be adapted for oral, vaginal, agricultural, and environmental use cases. Our research pipeline includes targeted formulations for gut health, women's health, soil remediation, and food preservation — each leveraging the same core platform.
See the Technology Behind the Platform
Our patented phospholipid bilayer encapsulation protects live probiotics from manufacturing through delivery — enabling applications across every microbiome.
Explore Our Technology