Genomics, Superbugs and More in Cosmeceuticals

Posted: March 12, 2009

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The antimicrobial discussion continued with a presentation by Wertz on the antimicrobial lipids at the skin surface. According to Wertz, the specific lipids were recently identified and included sapienic acid, dihyrosphingosine and 6-hydroxysphingosine. Wertz and his research team examined the relation of fatty acids with skin to determine that younger skin has more fatty acid. His team found that the fatty acids killed skin diseases.

Dayan concluded the session with a presentation on how stress effects skin inflammation. According to Dayan, stress can make skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), psoriasis and acne worse. She found that the onset and perpetuation of AD can be affected by anger. The same is true for psoriasis, which can be worsened with stressful life events. Dayan also found that in stressful periods, acne condition can worsen not due to elevated sebum secretion by rather due to neuropeptide secretion. She recommended a holistic approach to these diseases, stating: "We're not trained to look at reasons; we are trained to look at solutions."

The last session of the day focused on innovation and new developments. Chuck Seeney, president of NBMI/XetaComp Nanotechnology LLC, discussed nanotechnology or "the science of making things very small." He conveyed to attendees that nano-sized sunscreens are not dangerous to skin and in fact can be more protective for skin.

Anna Langerveld, PhD, president and CEO of Genemarkers LLC, delivered a presentation on genomics as biomarkers. Changes in biological processes occur from changes in gene expression, according to Langerveld. She found that inflammation can be caused by many pathways and that is it important to identify which one produces the symptom. Genomics can be used in personal care to improve product formulation to achieve desired effect and to validate product efficacy at a biological level.

The last presentation was given by James McKim, PhD, founder and chief scientific officer of Ceetox Inc., who introduced an in vitro method for determining skin sensitization. According to McKim, the method is quantitative and he concluded that it correlates to the LLNA assay by 91%.