Greener Chemistry Leads the SCC Charge in Charleston

By: Rachel Grabenhofer, Cosmetics & Toiletries

Posted: June 25, 2012

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The last presentation of the day was given by Russel Walters, PhD, of Johnson & Johnson, who detailed a vibrational spectroscopy system to map sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and its permeation and interaction with the skin. Raman spectroscopy and infrared imaging successfully tracked SDS across different regions of the skin and revealed a surprising change in concentration in the viable epidermis boundary, which may be due to solubility. The overall goal of his work was to develop surfactants that are milder by changing their dynamics to keep them on the skin rather than allowing them into the skin. After a day full day of scientific insights, the conference adjourned for a networking cocktail reception and dinner, including fresh shrimp cocktail—a Charleston favorite.

Molecular Skin Biology

The second day of event was led by Howard Epstein, PhD, of EMD Chemicals, who moderated the session on molecular biology of the skin. Presenting first was Philip Ludwig of Lonza, who described work using red rice meristem cultures to promote skin rejuvenation at the epigenetic, protein and macro level. The cultures are grown in bioreactors in a sustainable process to reduce biomass waste. Tests showed the ingredient imparted a dose-dependent increase in skin hydration, barrier function and pore size reduction. This technology was recognized by Cosmetics & Toiletries as a finalist for its 2012 R&D Awards.

Following Ludwig was Sandy Dumont, PhD, of Seppic, with a presentation on the effect of xylityl glucoside (XG) on the expression of barrier function-related genes and moisturization-related proteins. Results, as shown by quantitative reverse transcription (qRT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, confirmed that XG can regulate both genes and proteins involved in the epidermal differentiation process.

Rounding out the session was a presentation by Lintner considering the potential to inhibit and reverse glycation and glycotoxins in skin. He presented research on a plant extract of Albizia julibrissin, known as “night sleeper” in Persia, which was found to inhibit the glycation of bovine serum albumin by nearly 50%. In vivo studies of the extract also showed its ability to fight the visible signs of fatigue, including baggy eyes, dark circles and drawn faces.

Poster Winners

The last day’s luncheon was led by Dallal, who gave a “hat’s off” to the presenters. He said, “We’ve really learned something, and it’s nice to see and meet the presenters as well as hear questions from the audience,” which he noted is a downfall of watching webinars rather than real participation. He added that the talks grouped on similar subjects help researchers with their “Ah-ha!” moment—and that research is happening so quickly that even his work from the past 30 years rarely shows up in literature searches.