Project Details
Description
At 12 times the global average, Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world. More than 2,000 people die from skin cancer every year, and someone is diagnosed with the disease every 30 minutes. It accounts for more diagnoses than all other cancers combined and costs more than $750 million annually to treat.
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) derived from sun exposure is well-known to be the most important cause of skin cancer. Sunburn and excessive exposure to sun and tanning lamps are responsible for cumulative damage, which induces immunosuppression that is involved in the pathogenesis of skin cancer.
Two basic types of ultraviolet rays reach the earth’s surface – UVA and UVB. UVA penetrates deeply into the skin, damaging and ageing cells and suppressing immune responses. UVB reaches only the top layer of the skin but causes long-term damage to cell DNA. While the damage is not visible, it is permanent, cumulative, and mostly irreparable. The degree of damage depends on the intensity of the UV rays and length of exposure. According to the Cancer Council Australia, however, it may take more than 12 hours after overexposure to UV radiation for the signs of the erythemal reaction – the characteristic redness of sunburn – to appear. This makes it extremely challenging for an average person to determine their sun-safe exposure limits.
My research in nanotechnology has resulted in the invention of SunWatch, a wearable UV sensor that can measure the UV Index in real-time and alert users of over-exposure.
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) derived from sun exposure is well-known to be the most important cause of skin cancer. Sunburn and excessive exposure to sun and tanning lamps are responsible for cumulative damage, which induces immunosuppression that is involved in the pathogenesis of skin cancer.
Two basic types of ultraviolet rays reach the earth’s surface – UVA and UVB. UVA penetrates deeply into the skin, damaging and ageing cells and suppressing immune responses. UVB reaches only the top layer of the skin but causes long-term damage to cell DNA. While the damage is not visible, it is permanent, cumulative, and mostly irreparable. The degree of damage depends on the intensity of the UV rays and length of exposure. According to the Cancer Council Australia, however, it may take more than 12 hours after overexposure to UV radiation for the signs of the erythemal reaction – the characteristic redness of sunburn – to appear. This makes it extremely challenging for an average person to determine their sun-safe exposure limits.
My research in nanotechnology has resulted in the invention of SunWatch, a wearable UV sensor that can measure the UV Index in real-time and alert users of over-exposure.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/01/23 → 31/12/25 |