Human skin bacteria have cancer-fighting powers

The microbes make a compound that disrupts DNA formation in tumor cells

Staphylococcus epidermidis petri dish

SKIN WIN Staphylococcus epidermidis, a species of bacteria that lives on human skin, grows here in a dish. Strains of this bacteria make a cancer-fighting compound that stops DNA synthesis.

R. Gallo and Teruaki Nakatsuji/UC San Diego

Certain skin-dwelling microbes may be anticancer superheroes, reining in uncontrolled cell growth.