Nutritional protection
This research focuses on the ability of dietary agents or 'bioactives' to improve skin health and provide protection from adverse effects of environmental agents, principally the acute and chronic damage due to ultraviolet radiation exposure.
Our group, led by Professor Lesley Rhodes, has investigated the potential of a range of dietary antioxidants (including vitamins E and C, beta-carotene, lycopene) and lipids (omega-3 fatty acids) to confer skin protection. Biomarkers of skin damage assessed include:
- Lipid peroxidation
- Epidermal water loss
- Sunburn inflammation
- DNA damage
- An acute UV-induced model of photoageing
