Michael Polansky, known publicly as Lady Gaga's partner, has revealed details about his AI and biology startup, Outer Biosciences. The company, which Polansky founded in 2022, has developed a method to keep living human skin tissue viable outside the body for over a month.
This approach aims to overcome limitations in biological and chemical innovation, where ethical concerns prevent direct experimentation on people. Outer Biosciences sources human skin that would otherwise be discarded after surgery, mainly plastic surgery, through vetted non-profit and commercial biobanks and brokers. These suppliers operate under institutional review board oversight and documented donor consent, with samples arriving de-identified.
The company has spent approximately two years establishing the pipeline and protocols to receive this living tissue within hours of surgery. A proprietary support system then provides nutrients and removes metabolic waste, significantly extending the tissue's viable life beyond the industry norm of a few days. This extended viability allows for the study of slower biological processes like collagen remodeling, pigmentation change, or barrier repair, which unfold over weeks.