ProBioma™ prebiotic underwear: the Impact on the vaginal microbiome - BC-1024

Project type: Research
Desired discipline(s): Biochemistry / Molecular biology, Life Sciences, Epidemiology / Public health and policy, Microbiology / Immunology
Company: Lunapads International Products LTD dba Aisle
Project Length: 6 months to 1 year
Preferred start date: 10/01/2026
Language requirement: English
Location(s): Vancouver, BC, Canada
No. of positions: 2
Desired education level: Master'sPhD
Open to applicants registered at an institution outside of Canada: No

About the company: 

Aisle is a Vancouver-based consumer goods company specializing in sustainable, healthy underwear and base layers. Founded on the belief that everyday essentials should be better — for people and the planet — Aisle has built a loyal customer base through product innovation, ethical sourcing, and an unwavering commitment to health.
Best known for pioneering reusable period care, Aisle has consistently challenged conventional consumer categories by introducing high-performance alternatives that reduce environmental impact without sacrificing comfort or efficacy. Our products are designed for real bodies, backed by materials science, and developed through deep community engagement with our customers.
As we expand our portfolio, Aisle is preparing to launch a net new functional underwear line — a category that represents a significant commercial opportunity and a natural extension of our brand expertise. This product will integrate performance-driven design with the sustainability principles that define Aisle's identity.
To support this launch, Aisle is committed to investing in rigorous research and development to ensure the product meets the highest standards of functionality, comfort, and environmental responsibility. We are seeking partnership through Mitacs to bring academic expertise to bear on the technical and market challenges that will define the success of this new category.

Describe the project.: 

Aisle is launching ProBioma™, a first-to-market prebiotic underwear line built on patented textile technology that embeds prebiotic compounds into fabric fibres to support vaginal and skin microbiome health through daily wear. While the textile technology has been validated at the materials science level, independent clinical evidence of consumer health outcomes does not yet exist.
This research project will generate peer-reviewable evidence on the health outcomes associated with consistent ProBioma™ use. The intern will conduct a 12-week controlled study with an undetermined number of participants (women aged 18–45), randomized into ProBioma™ and control garment groups. Research tasks include: textile durability analysis using standardized wash cycles and spectroscopic prebiotic compound measurement; potentially baseline and longitudinal vaginal swab collection for 16S rRNA microbiome sequencing; self-reported symptom tracking across vaginal comfort, odour, discharge, and BV/UTI recurrence; and statistical analysis of microbiome diversity indices (Lactobacillus dominance, alpha/beta diversity). Deliverables may include a peer-reviewed manuscript draft and a consumer-facing health claims framework. All research will be conducted under university ethics board supervision with full participant consent protocols.

Required expertise/skills: 

The ideal intern will have expertise in microbiology or women's health research, with hands-on experience in microbiome and bioinformatic analysis. Proficiency in statistical software (R, Python, or equivalent) for microbiome diversity analysis is required. Experience with clinical study design, participant recruitment, and ethics board protocols is strongly preferred. Familiarity with spectroscopic analysis techniques for textile or materials science applications is an asset. Strong scientific writing skills are required for manuscript preparation. Experience in consumer health or applied research settings is a plus.