Research Projects

This current project focuses on designing novel materials that exhibit robust resistance to intense UV-A radiation in sunlight while demonstrating UV-A photoprotective properties. Furthermore, these innovative materials are engineered to possess dual functionalities, including UV-A filtering capabilities, as well as skin-whitening and anti-wrinkle properties, thereby serving as aesthetic therapeutic agents. Avobenzone, the sole FDA-approved chemical UV-A filter, is extensively utilized in various sunscreen formulations to mitigate the detrimental effects of solar radiation. However, avobenzone molecules exhibit inherent photolability, undergoing Norrish Type-I cleavage to generate carbon-centered radicals, which compromises their efficacy. Consequently, prolonged exposure to sunlight leads to a gradual degradation of avobenzone's UV-A filtering capabilities, diminishing its protective effects against skin cancer. To address this limitation, numerous sunscreen formulations incorporate photostabilizing additives, such as TiO2, antioxidants, and triplet quenchers, aimed at enhancing avobenzone's photostability and maintaining its sunscreen efficacy. Despite the incorporation of photostabilizing additives, avobenzone's photostability remains incomplete, underscoring the need for innovative strategies to design novel materials that integrate avobenzone in a photostable manner. Efforts to enhance avobenzone's photostability have focused on two approaches: discovering novel photostabilizers and modifying its molecular structure to intrinsically improve its photostability through skeletal engineering. Glutathione, a prominent intracellular radical scavenger and established skin-whitening agent, has been shown to function as an effective photostabilizer for avobenzone. Notably, the newly formulated avobenzone derivative exhibits enhanced photostability, retaining its structural integrity even after prolonged exposure to sunlight (6 hours), and demonstrate superior photochemical properties compared to its predecessor. This proposal seeks to design and develop highly photostable avobenzone-based UV-A filters that confer enhanced skin wellbeing by integrating cosmetic benefits. Specifically, gold nanoparticle-conjugated avobenzone derivatives are anticipated to exhibit improved photostability against UV-A radiation, while also offering opportunities for incorporating photostabilizing moieties. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of peptides in cosmetic applications. Notably, μ-conotoxin (μ-CnCIIIC), a selective blocker of the NaV1.4 channel, has been utilized for topical wrinkle reduction and is marketed as Activen. Building on this, the proposal aims to integrate the anti-wrinkle and skin-whitening properties of this peptide into photostable avobenzone derivatives, thereby creating dual-functional UV-A filters that provide photoprotection, skin whitening, and anti-wrinkle benefits, effectively serving as aesthetic therapeutic agents.