Glowing Menstrual Blood

A BIOLUMINESCENT ART INSTALLATION SENSING PERIMENOPAUSE

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1. ABSTRACT

Significance: Perimenopause describes the hormonal transition phase preceding menopause that can last up to ten years. Despite a broad range of debilitating symptoms and significant neurobiological changes, perimenopause is under-researched. In particular, physicians still struggle to establish a clear diagnosis of onset and, consequently, often end up prescribing unadapted treatments, if at all.

Broad Objective: The aim of the project is to create a bioart installation displaying a circulating artificial body fluid containing bacteria from the vaginal microbiota that have been engineered to elicit bioluminescence when they sense a complex molecular signature of perimenopause.

Hypothesis: The project is based on the principle that the hormonal fluctuations occurring during perimenopause make it difficult to use hormonal levels as biomarkers in the early phase of perimenopause. However, these fluctuations can have a lasting impact on a complex network of interactions occurring between the vaginal microbiota and its environment. We predict that assessing several of these parameters simultaneously can lead to the identification of an early vaginal ecosystem signature of perimenopause.

Specific Aims: The first milestone is to create an artificial vaginal secretion-like fluid in which E. coli, a pathogen that frequently colonizes the vagina when the protective Lactobacillus barrier breaks down, can survive and reproduce. The second milestone is to engineer E. coli to produce bioluminescence when the levels of glycogen and lactic acid in the culture medium drop. The third milestone is to screen for biomarkers of perimenopause, including in other body fluids such as saliva, and to identify an early microbial ecosystem signature of perimenopause.

Methods: Cell culture, Gibson assembly, genetic circuits, lab automation.

2. PROJECT AIMS

AIM 01: EXPERIMENT

Option 01: Engineering E.Coli to elicit bioluminescent response to a specific molecular signature (low glycogen and lactic acid levels).

AIM 02: DEVELOPMENT

Screening for best biomarkers of perimenopause, including cellular biomarkers (other micro-organisms present in the vaginal microbiota such as Lactobacillus and uterine microbiota) and in other body fluids (e.g. saliva), to characterize early microbial ecosystem signature of perimenopause.

AIM 03: VISION

Implementation of early diagnosis of perimenopause in clinical routine. Extend the research concept to all hormonal transitions (FTM gender-affirming care, pregnancy etc.) Increased awareness, education and research on menstruation: closing the gender gap in biomedicine.

3. BACKGROUND

From Connecting microbiome and menopause for healthy ageing

Mycelium-Based Tampons

Please credit F.R. and cite the source if you use any content published on this website. If you find my work interesting, feel free to reach out to discuss collaborations or Art & Science consulting opportunities.

1. ABSTRACT

Significance: Period poverty affects over 500 million people world-wide and leads to missed education/work and health risks from using improper materials. When available, single-use menstrual products create significant environmental damages including plastic pollution and an annual release of hundreds of thousands of tons of waste.

Broad Objective: The aim of the project is to create mycelium-based menstrual products.

Hypothesis:

Specific Aims:

• Aim 01. Engineer mycelium to fit quality and safety standards for industrial production.
• Aim 02. Engineer mycelium to kill bacterial strains such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes or neutralize their toxins to reduce the risks of toxic shock syndrome.
• Aim 03. Explore the possibility to grow DIY mycelium-based menstrual products. End period poverty and reduced menstrual pollution.

Methods:

2. PROJECT AIMS

AIM 01: EXPERIMENT

AIM 02: DEVELOPMENT

AIM 03: VISION

3. BACKGROUND

Selected references:

Environmental impact of menstrual hygiene products. Bull World Health Organ (2024) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11865846/

Toxic Shock Syndrome: A Literature Review. Antibiotics (2024) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38247655/