Michael Polansky, known for his work in venture capital and philanthropy, is currently focused on his company Outer Bio. Founded in 2020 in Massachusetts, the firm specializes in researching human skin to identify new bioactive ingredients for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. Lady Gaga serves on the company's board of directors.
The core of Outer Bio's research is the Yuna platform, developed in 2022. This technology maintains the viability of ex vivo human skin samples for up to four weeks using 3D-printed scaffolds for nutrient delivery and waste removal. The company sources these samples from hospitals and medical research centers, often deriving dozens of specimens from a single donation.
Outer Bio utilizes its proprietary data to train AI models designed to predict the biological activity and toxicity of various compounds. Polansky emphasizes that the company functions primarily as a data firm, focusing on predictive AI rather than generative models. The collected data aims to accelerate innovation in fields like wound healing and aging.
The company plans to commercialize its findings by partnering with other businesses to develop actual products. Polansky views Outer Bio as a bridge between skin health research and the broader application of machine learning in life sciences. He believes that obtaining high-quality data is the only way to overcome current limitations in biological innovation.
