Introduction

In the diagram depicted above you can see the different aspects we considered during our communication with different experts and stakeholders. Firstly, we consider social awareness really important and that’s why we communicated with sociologists and psychologists to gain a better understanding of the social impact that a diagnosis of depression has on the patient. Secondly, the gut-brain axis is a very important aspect of our project as it offers a bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. Upon reviewing existing literature, we realized that nutrition and diet also play a very important role for the establishment of a “healthy” microbiome and, therefore, for the mental health of the individual. Existing therapies for depression (including psychotherapy and common antidepressants) is another aspect we studied extensively in order to identify its advantages and disadvantages. Of course, the solution our team proposes to help people suffering from depression is based on synthetic biology, making this one of the main aspects of our project as well. Lastly, entrepreneurship is a key point to consider before transferring our project in the real world.