[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/9937\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E Next generation sunscreen to better prevent harmful effects of UV solar radiation\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile most Europeans enjoy a holiday in the sun, high energy ultraviolet (UV) light from sunshine damages the DNA in our skin. The best-known adverse effect of excessive UV exposure is erythema (sunburn), but excessive UV is also the main culprit in some skin cancers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAs UV damage builds up, the skin cells stop functioning properly. At 4% of total cancers, skin melanoma is one of the top 15 most common types of cancer in Europe. It\u2019s particularly prevalent in middle-aged and older people, especially in the 45-69 age group.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, Horizon-backed researchers are peering closer, looking into the molecular changes that take place when sunlight hits our skin.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThey are also researching what \u2013 if any \u2013 effects it has on the rest of our bodies. This may lead to better ways to avert the harmful effects of UV exposure.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETicking clock\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFollowing exposure to UV light, a clock starts ticking on our skin, according to Prof Carmit Levy, a genetics biochemist at the University of Tel Aviv in Israel.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ELevy wanted to understand what happens to the skin\u2019s protection system and how long it takes to repair any damage through \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/726225\u0022\u003Ethe Horizon-funded UVdynamicsProtection project\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EShe discovered this skin\u2019s internal clock while investigating what happens beneath the surface when we come into contact with UV rays. In tests, she and her team exposed two groups of lab mice to low levels of UV light in 24- and 48-hour intervals.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EUpon exposure to sunlight, two things happen to the skin almost immediately. It produces the pigment melanin to protect the skin cells from further damage by blocking UV radiation, making the skin darker. The skin cells also set about repairing DNA damage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWhat we found amazing was that when you expose the skin (to UV light) every day, you get less (tanning) pigment\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProf Carmit Levy, UVdynamicsProtection\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESkin begins a 48-hour process of recovery as soon as it is exposed. If that process is disrupted by more exposure, the pigment-protection system does not work as well. The skin focuses on the more urgent task of DNA repair, rather than producing protective pigment. This leaves it further exposed to harmful rays. In cases where the skin cannot keep up with the demands for DNA repair, it can lead to cancerous growths.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018What we found amazing was that when you expose the skin every day, you get less pigment,\u2019 she said. \u2018The system requires two days to get over the stress.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We noticed that internal systems were also being changed,\u2019 said Prof Levy. The fat and the lymph nodes of exposed mice were also different. The lymphatic system is part of the circulatory system which helps maintain health and fight infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAppetite stimulation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EUV exposure also triggered an appetite-stimulating hormone in male mice, known as ghrelin, making them eat more. They undertook a trawl through dietary data to see if the same was true in humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team explored the diets of about 3 000 people throughout a year in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s42255-022-00587-9?s=09\u0022\u003Ea paper published in journal Nature Metabolism\u003C\/a\u003E. They found that men\u2019s appetites were at the whim of solar radiation, eating significantly more in the summer compared to women.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn mice, UV radiation also had a pronounced impact on sexual behaviour. \u2018The males strongly prefer to be next to a UV-exposed female,\u2019 she said. And both male and female mice were more sexually active and responsive compared to those that did not get a dose of UV radiation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ELevy suspects that UV exposure may play a role in a number of other bodily systems too, and plans to explore the immune system response next. \u2018UV is also modifying the immune system, and the immune system is so relevant to cancer, to autoimmune disease, to everything,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBetter sunscreen\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, other research teams are looking to prevent harmful UV radiation from reaching people\u2019s skin in the first place, using improved sunscreen.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe molecules in sunscreen absorb the energy from the different types of UV radiation, namely UVA and UVB. Because the sunscreen absorbs the energy, the harmful radiation does not penetrate the skin and cause damage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile there are many molecules that absorb UVB, UVA radiation has a longer wavelength which means it penetrates deeper into the human skin. It forms free radicals which interact with skin tissue to form wrinkles as well as melanomas. It can even pass through the windshield of a car, unlike UVB. So far, the effects of UVA are not as well understood as those of UVB.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018UVA is more difficult,\u2019 said Dr Natercia Rodrigues, a former \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu\/\u0022\u003EMarie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie Actions\u003C\/a\u003E (MSCA) fellow at the University of Warwick. Rodrigues worked on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/844177\u0022\u003Ethe Horizon-backed SUNNRL project\u003C\/a\u003E to develop a safe, effective and long-lasting sunscreen, especially to protect skin against UVA.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EOne of the things I heard a lot was \u2018Why would you do that? No one\u2019s ever going to use a sunscreen like that.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Natercia Rodrigues, SUNNRL\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERodrigues, a specialist in light absorption who had studied the molecule, wanted to see if its UVA absorption capabilities were still active when the molecule was included in lotions and complex commercial formulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the search for alternatives, Rodrigues identified the aromatic methyl anthranilate as a possible sunscreen ingredient. This organic compound occurs naturally in grapes, jasmine, oranges and other plants. It\u2019s used in food flavourings and the perfume and cosmetics industry because of its pleasant aroma.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrent-generation sunscreens on the market come with drawbacks. Avobenzone, for example, the most common sunscreen molecule on the market, quickly degrades once it has absorbed UVA, making it less effective at preventing skin damage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis quick breakdown means typical sunscreen does not offer long-lasting protection. Over time, the chemicals it decays into can also interact negatively with other molecules in the environment and threaten biodiversity.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMarine life\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECommon chemicals found in sunscreen have been found to damage marine life such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oceanservice.noaa.gov\/news\/sunscreen-corals.html\u0022\u003Ecoral reefs and even dolphins\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EUnfortunately, methyl anthranilate did not turn out to be as effective as commercially available alternatives, but while studying it, they stumbled upon an interesting finding.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThey discovered that lab-based spectroscopy studies, which analyse how molecules absorb and reflect light, could potentially reveal novel ingredients for sunscreen.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the past, Rodrigues recalls, when she used spectroscopy to study molecules\u2019 absorption qualities, she was met with scepticism. \u2018One of the things I heard a lot was \u201cWhy would you do that? No one\u2019s ever going to use a sunscreen like that\u201d\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018But it turns out that pretty much everything we see in simple solutions (of liquids) you also see in complex mixtures. That\u2019s a huge step,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, there are many stages involved in making a new cosmetic product, with numerous expensive studies along the way. Spectrographic analysis of how light interacts with the potentially sun-blocking molecules could save a lot of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Instead of doing trial and error all the way to in vivo studies (in living organisms), you could use fundamental spectroscopy a bit earlier in the process,\u2019 Rodrigues said. \u2018You can say, \u201cWith this sort of energy transfer mechanism, I think that this (molecule) is not going to be a good sunscreen. Let\u2019s kill it now before we spend money.\u201d\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2014 \u003Cem\u003EThe incidence of skin cancer has been increasing in Europe, creating a significant health burden. The EU Cancer Mission is supporting research on prevention, detection and treatment of cancer in Europeans. Follow the link to learn more about \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu\/funding\/funding-opportunities\/funding-programmes-and-open-calls\/horizon-europe\/eu-missions-horizon-europe\/cancer_en#:~:text=years%202021%2D2027.-,What%20this%20EU%20Mission%20deals%20with,to%20live%20longer%20and%20better.\u0022\u003Ethe EU Cancer Mission\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded via the EU\u2019s European Research Council and the Marie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-bg-bluelightest tw-p-12 tw-my-12 tw--mx-16\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\u0022tw-font-sans tw-font-bold tw-text-blue tw-uppercase tw-text-lg tw-mb-8\u0022\u003ESunscreen - slop on but don\u2019t stop\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-inline-block tw-w-1\/6 tw-h-1 tw-bg-blue tw-mb-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe search for the perfect sunscreen continues as Horizon researchers and others seek better solutions to the sunblock challenge. But one simple change can lead immediately to better UV protection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJuan Cebrian is a senior scientist at Lubrizol Life Science which was involved in the SUNNRL project. Cebrian suggests a simple way to avoid getting burned.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe major mistake people make when it came to sunscreen is that they don\u2019t apply it often enough, he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018They apply less product than necessary to protect themselves. And they also forget to apply it several times,\u2019 says Cebrian. Most people don\u0027t slop on sunscreen often enough.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs UV exposure increases over time, the effectiveness of the sunscreen declines. \u2018So it\u2019s important that every two hours approximately, you renew the sunscreen you have applied on your skin,\u2019 he suggests.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-aeb-nnnvjexib5dx-vwj6qdxzhbhqbo3-rmtxyoj5am\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-AeB_NnNvjexIb5dX-vWj6qdXzhBhQBO3_RMTxYOJ5AM\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]