No Participants enrolled, per PI discretion

Numerous organisms live on and in healthy human skin. This study seeks to survey the diversity of this complex ecosystem by collecting samples from approximately 1000 individuals in order to determine the type of organisms living on their skin.

Subjects age 18 and above may be included in the study. It is the goal of the study to survey multiple skin locations of humans at multiple time points. The subjects' samples will be analyzed using DNA methods in order to identify the types of microbes present on the swabs. Other substances such as proteins, RNA, and other metabolites may also be analyzed. DNA or other molecular components of the sample will be extracted. Alternately, microbes in the sample can be cultured directly. The samples will be explored using molecular analyses. The backbone of the analyses will be shotgun metagenomic sequencing and 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. The results of these analyses will be used to identify and describe the microbiome of the skin.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects must be 18 years of age or older.
• Subjects must be able to consent for themselves.
• Must be willing to participate to a swab of the skin.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects cannot be 17 years of age or younger.

It is the goal of the study to survey multiple skin locations of humans at multiple time points