The company was founded in 2013 by MIT chemical engineer David Whitlock and PatientsLikeMe founder Jamie Heywood, along with co-founders Hilly Thompson and Lenny Barshack.
To test this theory he suspended the bacteria in water and coated himself with them and then stopped bathing in order to give the AOB a chance to colonize his body.
Whitlock has reported in national media that he has not had a shower in over 10 years, but washes his hands before eating,[2] with a number of journalists confirming that he does not smell bad as a result.
[3] Whitlock has speculated, along the lines of the "hygiene hypothesis", that modern lifestyle changes such as the adoption of frequent bathing and synthetic cosmetics have led to the death of so-called "old friend" bacteria which previously performed important functions in the body.
[11] While the therapeutic potential of nitrite and nitric oxide is widely recognized, the bacteria are sensitive to the ingredients in most modern soaps and beauty products.