MICRA Researcher Rachel Watson appointed Professor of Cutaneous Science
12 September 2017
Rachel Watson, Biomarkers Platform Lead in the Biomedical Research Centres Dermatology Theme has been appointed Professor of Cutaneous Science at The University of Manchester.
Rachel’s research focuses on understanding human skin ageing. All ageing can be divided broadly into two categories: that which occurs because of the passage of time (intrinsic ageing) and that which is the result of our interactions with the environment (extrinsic ageing).
The major environmental factor which impacts skin is long-term sun exposure (ultraviolet radiation), although other behaviours such as using sunbeds and smoking also add to the ageing of the skin. In addition to examining mechanisms that underpin skin ageing, she is also interested in what can be done clinically to improve the appearance of skin. This includes understanding how drugs, such as retinoids interact with the skin to promote its repair, how what food we eat may help in mitigating skin damage and by performing 'proof of principle' in vivo clinical studies on new therapies. Rachel was recently seen on ITV’s ‘Tonight’ magazine programme, evaluating the effect of sunbathing and sunbed use of how skin ages, and will be in the BBC’s ‘The Truth About Looking Good’ documentary, due to be aired in January 2018.