Author: Team

Human Skin Map: The Key to Building New Skin and Preventing Scarring in the Future

March 18, 2025: Newcastle University researchers, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and their collaborators utilized single-cell sequencing and other genomic techniques to develop an atlas and gain insights into the formation of human skin, including hair follicles.

These findings hold potential for applications in regenerative medicine, such as creating new hair follicles and improving skin transplant procedures for burn victims.

Published in in Nature, the study also involved creating a skin “mini organ” in a dish capable of growing hair. By using this organoid, the researchers demonstrated the significant role immune cells play in scar-free skin repair, paving the way for clinical advancements to prevent scarring after surgery or enable scarless healing following injuries.

‘Exciting strides’ being made

As part of the Human Cell Atlas initiative, which aims to map all cell types in the human body to revolutionize the understanding of health and disease, researchers have provided a molecular “recipe” for constructing skin and developed a new organoid model to study congenital skin disorders.

The skin, the body’s largest organ, spans an average of two square meters. It serves as a protective barrier, regulates body temperature, and possesses self-regenerative capabilities. Skin develops in the sterile environment of the womb, with all hair follicles forming before birth. Although follicles undergo cycles after birth, no new ones are created. Remarkably, before birth, the skin can heal wounds without leaving scars.

Studying human skin development has been challenging due to key differences in animal models. Researchers within the Human Cell Atlas project are working to unravel how skin is constructed, including the spatial and temporal dynamics of cells and the influence of genetics. This understanding could shed light on how specific mutations lead to congenital skin conditions, such as blistering disorders and scaly skin.

Dr Hudaa Gopee, co-first author from Newcastle University, said: “We’re excited to have made a skin organoid model that grows hair. In this process, we uncovered a new, important role of immune cells in promoting the growth of blood vessels in developing skin tissue, which could help improve other organoid models. These immune cells, called macrophages, also appear to play a key part in scarless skin repair in prenatal skin. Our findings could inform clinical advances to avoid scarring after surgery.”

In this groundbreaking study, researchers from Newcastle University, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and their collaborators created the first single-cell and spatial atlas of human prenatal skin.

The team analyzed prenatal skin tissue samples by breaking them down to study individual cells in suspension and examining cells within their native tissue environment. They employed advanced single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to investigate cellular changes over time and space, focusing on the processes governing skin and hair follicle development. The study detailed the steps involved in human hair follicle formation and highlighted differences from mouse hair follicles.

Using adult stem cells, the researchers developed a skin “mini organ,” or organoid, capable of growing hair. They compared the molecular profiles of these organoids to prenatal and adult skin, finding that the organoid model closely resembled prenatal skin.

The study revealed that blood vessels in the organoid were underdeveloped compared to prenatal skin. By introducing immune cells known as macrophages into the organoid, the researchers found that these cells significantly enhanced blood vessel formation. The team used 3D imaging to examine this vascular development in detail.

While macrophages are known to defend the skin against infections, this research is the first to show their crucial role in early human skin development by supporting blood vessel growth. This discovery opens new possibilities for improving vascularization in other tissue organoids.

‘Amazing clinical potential’

This study provides a detailed molecular “recipe” for the formation of human skin and hair follicles. These findings could pave the way for regenerative medicine applications, including the creation of new hair follicles for skin transplants to treat burn victims or individuals with scarring alopecia.

The atlas of prenatal human skin developed in the study will help pinpoint the specific cells where genes linked to congenital hair and skin disorders, such as blistering and scaly skin conditions, are active or expressed. The researchers discovered that these disorder-associated genes are expressed in prenatal skin, indicating that their origins trace back to development in utero.

The skin organoids created in this research serve as a highly accurate model for studying these congenital diseases, offering new avenues for understanding and potentially treating such conditions.

Dr Elena Winheim, co-first author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “With our prenatal human skin atlas, we’ve provided the first molecular ‘recipe’ for making human skin and uncovered how human hair follicles are formed before birth. These insights have amazing clinical potential and could be used in regenerative medicine, when offering skin and hair transplants, such as for burn victims or those with scarring alopecia.”

Pallavi Subudhi and Filoni Gudhka of BBH India Win Prestigious AAAI Young Lotus 2025 Award

Mumbai, 17 March, 2025: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced the winners of AAAI Young Lotus Contest, 2025. The winning team comprises Pallavi Subudhi and Filoni Gudhka from BBH Mumbai. The duo will jointly represent India at the prestigious Young Lotus Workshop and attend Adfest 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand.

The Young Lotus Workshop is a three-day program that fosters the next generation of young creatives from across Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East with an opportunity to work with top industry leaders, push creative boundaries and refine their skills on an international stage.

The 2025 edition of the AAAI Young Lotus Contest was around the theme ‘Support Local, Strengthen India.’ This year’s jury panel featured distinguished industry experts, including Chetan Kapoor (Saatchi Propagate), Kartikeya Tiwari (FCB Kinnect) and Zainab Haji (Grey). Winning from a selection of 130 entries from across India, Pallavi Subudhi and Filoni Gudhka’s entry stood out for its profound insight and creative execution, perfectly capturing the essence of the theme.

Speaking on the initiative, AAAI’s spokesperson said, “The aim of this year’s theme, ‘Support Local, Strengthen India’, was to push young creatives to emphasize on the power of local insights in creating compelling narratives. The winning entry by Pallavi and Filoni was a perfect blend of creativity and strategic thinking, backed by insightful storytelling. Their work and impactful ideas set them apart. We look forward to seeing them shine on the global stage at the Young Lotus Workshop where in teams from 15 different countries will participate and later on take part in ADFEST 2025.”

“BBH takes its young talent seriously and it’s great to see the industry celebrate our young creative superstars. We couldn’t be happier for Pallavi and Filoni. They are true Black Sheep,” added Parikshit Bhattaccharya, CCO, BBH India.

“This win brings us one step closer to our goal of establishing ourselves in the creative industry. We are grateful to the BBH leadership team for providing this amazing opportunity as well as our mentors, without whom this couldn’t have been possible. We can’t wait to take this experience to the global stage at Young Lotus Workshop/Adfest 2025 and make most of this opportunity,” said Pallavi and Filoni in a joint statement.

This victory marks a significant milestone in the journey of India’s creative talent. With a strong lineup of entries, this year’s contest highlighted the evolving landscape of the industry.

Representing India at Young Lotus Workshop 2025, the winners will have the opportunity to engage with some of the brightest minds in the industry across Asia and push the boundaries of creative storytelling.

CEPT University Summer 2025 Electives: Secure Your Spot Starting March 19

Bangalore, March 17, 2025 – CEPT University announced its Summer 2025 courses recently and will be accepting online registrations from interested students from March 19, 2025. The Summer and Winter Courses (SWC) at CEPT University provide students with varied, intensive, and enriching educational experiences that extend beyond the traditional classroom.

CEPT University was an early adopter of the novel Summer and Winter Schools in India, a concept prevalent in European educational systems. These biannual terms – Summer and Winter – offer two to four week intensive courses that provide students with significant interdisciplinary learning opportunities.

The core objective of the SWC is to foster peer learning, exchange of ideas and providing a platform for students to take courses of their interest, beyond their academic stipulations. As a result, CEPT University encourages students from across all universities and across academic disciplines to enrol into these programs. To ensure that these courses are impactful, they are taught by professionals, academicians, artists, and experts from across India and abroad.

This year, through the Summer 2025 term, CEPT University is offering a diverse array of courses ranging from studying urban development in cities such as Paris to understanding urban resilience in Bhutan. Some of the other unique courses include Decoding Mechanics, Preserving Night-Time Darkness Through Lighting Design; Imagined Landscapes: A Cinematic Mapping of Paris, etc.

Students can choose from approximately 50 diverse courses, including on-campus, online, and travel-based options, both within India and internationally.

SWC’s travel-based courses are highly sought after for their immersive, experiential learning opportunities, allowing students to explore diverse cultures and architectural landmarks. This year, students can journey to Japan to witness the fusion of culture, tradition, and innovation in its built environment. For those with a creative bent, “Oceanic Tales” in the Andaman Islands offers a unique blend of underwater filmmaking and insights into design’s role in ecosystem and species conservation.

Emphasising on the impact of these courses, Prof Chirayu Bhatt, Dy Provost (Academics) said, “CEPT’s SWC program is designed to empower students. Through peer learning, they gain diverse perspectives, and by accumulating credits, they enhance their academic flexibility. The interdisciplinary nature of our courses allows students to explore new fields and expand their intellectual horizons, all while experiencing innovative teaching methods.”

Kajal’s Dream Journey: How Sunstone Supported Her Rise from a Tier-3 City

New Delhi, 17th March 2025: KM Kajal, a student at GD Goenka University powered by Sunstone, has emerged as a symbol of resilience and determination. Hailing from a middle-class family in Firozabad district of UP, Kajal broke barriers to become the first in her family to pursue a postgraduate degree.

Growing up in a joint family, Kajal faced immense challenges in convincing her family to support her dream of pursuing an MBA. With her grandfather, father, and uncle engaged in the carton-making business, education had always taken a backseat. While her father stood by her side, seeking financial assistance led to unforeseen hardships, including his separation from the family. Sunstone’s easy loan process provided her the financial support she needed to continue her MBA without burdening her family.

Kajal enrolled at GD Goenka University, powered by Sunstone, where she initially struggled with confidence, communication, and core industry skills. However, Sunstone’s faculty, career guidance, and personality development programmes helped her transform. With Sunstone’s easy loan process through its network of national banks, she secured financial support, pursued her MBA without burdening her family, and is now confident, skilled, and career-ready. She became the first in her batch to secure an internship at Savemax during her first interview, earning INR 15,000 per month—far above the INR 5,000-6,000 that many students from other universities received. Sunstone also helped her land a job in the same company with an 80% higher salary 4LPA than many of her classmates.

Her proactive preparation, supported by Sunstone’s mock interviews and skill-building initiatives, played a crucial role in her success.

Speaking about her inspiring journey, Kajal said, “Sunstone has been more than an educational platform—it has been my biggest support system. From financial aid to career guidance, Sunstone has enabled me to turn my dreams into reality. Their goodwill and structured approach ensure that students like me from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities do not have to struggle for opportunities.”

Ankur Jain, Co-Founder & CBO, Sunstone said, “Kajal’s journey exemplifies our mission to provide quality education and career opportunities to aspiring students. We are committed to breaking barriers and ensuring that every student, irrespective of their background, gets the right support to achieve their professional goals.”

Every Kilometer Counts Challenge: Walk, Run, or Cycle to Create Positive Change

This innovative initiative aims to encourage people to combine fitness with compassion by challenging you walk, run, or cycle 100 kilometers for the welfare of strays. Each time you hit 100 kilometers, a sponsor will donate Rs. 10,000 towards animal welfare.

 Meghna Rai, the brains behind KToK says, “I’ve always been madly and totally in love with our four-legged fur babies. And the thought of doing something for the strays was in my mind for the longest time. And then viola ! as I was walking the treadmill one day, the idea occurred to me that we could combine the two. And thus KtoK was born’.

 The idea is simple yet powerful, as this project encourages not only an active and healthy lifestyle but also contributes to a cause that is so admirable.

 Individuals and Corporate sponsors can also get involved in this initiative by sponsoring their employees to participate in the challenge. They can leverage Kilometers to Kindness to promote wellness and fitness in the workplace.

 Participants will monitor their distance using any smartphone application or speedometer. Each day, they will report their mileage to the Kilometers to Kindness team for confirmation. After verifying that the 100 kilometers have been covered, the campaign will go ahead and request the sponsor to give the Rs. 10,000 for the welfare of animals.

 What makes Kilometers to Kindness even more unique is the ability for people to gift the challenge to a loved one. For instance, you might give this challenge to someone special, a parent or friend, to do the 100 kilometers, and once they complete their 100 Kms, make a donation on their behalf to an animal welfare organization.