Scientists Looking to Biosynthetically Reproduce Natural Sunscreen From Coral Into Pill Form
July 18, 2012 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis Some of the greatest discoveries in history – like penicillin, the microwave, and superglue – all happened by accident when scientists were doing something else. The same may soon be said about the sunscreen pill.
Scientists from King’s College London have been studying how coral produces a natural sunscreen that protects it from damaging ultraviolet rays.
This is part of a long-term study to create a substance that would make crops more UV-tolerant and better able to better withstand harsh sunlight in tropical regions. The potential for creating a natural sunscreen for people came secondary.
Dr. Paul Long, senior lecturer from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science at King’s College London said, “the long-term goal of the King’s study is to look at whether these processes could also be used for developing sustainable agriculture in the Third World.”
“If we do this in crop plants that have been bred in temperate climates for high yield, but that would not grow in the tropics because of high exposure to sunlight, this could be a way of providing sustainable nutrition-rich foods that are of particular need in Third World countries,” he continued.
The scientists are also researching how the coral’s natural defense mechanism against UV-light works so they can biosynthesize a sunscreen pill for human use.