Cosmeceuticals Summit to Discuss the Skin's Innate Immune System

IntertechPira has added new speakers to the Cosmeceuticals Summit 2009 lineup. The conference will now include presentations on nanomaterials and genomics in skin care, in addition to the innate immune system of skin.

Charles Sheeny, president of NBMI/XetaComp Technology, will review the performance impact of nanomaterials such as titanium and zinc oxides. In addition, Anna Langerveld, PhD, president and CEO of Genemarkers LLC, will present on the use of genomics tools in skin care. 

Langerveld will discuss specifically how genomics can aid in formulating products and validate efficacy claims, as well as the use of high throughput technologies for measuring gene expression and gene sequence, the use of gene expression tools to understand biological mechanisms in skin, current use of genomics in the skin care industry, and an outlook for the future.

The conference also is debuting a new session on the innate immune system of the skin. For the past few decades, there has been ongoing debate between experts as to whether the modern lifestyle adopted by society has triggered an imbalance in skin's innate immune system, bringing with it new challenges to the medical community.

The phrase “today’s science is tomorrow’s malpractice” has proven to be accurate throughout the generations. Meticulous hygiene regimens such as the continuous use of hand sanitizers, antiperspirants and topical antibiotics and steroids may lead to the removal of the normal microflora and support growth of harmful microflora. According to the conference presenters, new applications in the personal care market have created new needs to further remove protective microflora, as well as skin lipids and peptides.

Products such as disinfecting hand gels and liquid antibacterial soaps have posed a new challenge to the skin's innate immune system, and its long-term effect is yet to be unraveled. The use of antimicrobial agents and sebum secretion-controlling active compounds in antiperspirants and deodorants is another challenge to protective bacteria. Moreover, repetitive use of personal care products with a pH that is either significantly higher or lower than normal skin pH is offering yet a new challenge of short- and long-term adjustment.

One common effect of these applications is the loss of skin hydration. This outcome may have supported the gradual growth in development and market of skin moisturizers. The Innate Immune System of the Skin session will offer insight into this phenomenon. It will include presentations by Kenneth Richman, PhD, associate professor of philosophy and health care ethics at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; Gary Friedman, PhD, of the R&D department at the Coty Testing Institute; Phil Wertz, PhD, a professor in the department of oral pathology, radiology and medicine at the University of Iowa; and Nava Dayan, PhD, head of R&D at Lipo Chemicals.

This year’s agenda also includes sessions on regulatory issues, scientific and technological developments, and skin aging. The conference will take place March 9–11, 2009, in Orlando, Fla., USA, and is co-chaired by Dayan, Wertz, and Wen Schroeder of SEKI Cosmeticals. For more information, visit the IntertechPira Web site.

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