Michael Polansky is training an AI model on skin that’s still alive
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
Michael Polansky, co-founder of Outer Biosciences and partner to Lady Gaga, is training an AI model on living human skin tissue kept alive outside the body for over a month. Polansky, a Harvard graduate in applied mathematics and computer science, previously worked at Bridgewater Associates and as a principal at Founders Fund alongside Peter Thiel and Sean Parker. He later managed Parker’s family office and helped establish the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Polansky met Germanotta in 2019 through philanthropic connections. The couple manages her global tour operations and her cosmetics brand, Haus Labs, which collaborates with Outer Biosciences. Germanotta serves on Outer’s board. Polansky entered life sciences through his decade-long involvement in cancer immunotherapy. His current work focuses on maintaining living tissue ex vivo, a significant technical achievement in biotechnology. The startup operates discreetly, with Polansky balancing his high-profile personal life with his scientific endeavors. He describes his transition from finance to biotech as accidental but driven by a desire for meaningful work. The collaboration between his ventures highlights an intersection of celebrity influence and serious scientific research.
💡 Why It Matters
- · Polansky’s success in sustaining living tissue ex vivo for over a month validates a critical bottleneck in drug discovery and personalized medicine.
- · This breakthrough allows for more accurate, long-term biological testing without relying on animal models or short-lived cell cultures.
