The Estée Lauder Companies Presents Epigenetics & Multi-Ethnic Translational Clinical Research at 33rd IFSCC

Press Release, Oct 12, 2023

NEW YORK, October 12, 2023 – The 33^rd International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC) Congress was held in Barcelona, Spain from September 4 through September 7 and focused on the theme “Rethinking Beauty Science.” The IFSCC Congress is an annual meeting of industry professionals with the goal of advancing the field of cosmetic science by providing a venue to present novel technologies and the latest in skin science to an international audience of finished goods manufacturers and cosmetics ingredient suppliers. 

This year, the IFSCC committees invited Nadine Pernodet, PhD, Senior Vice President, Bioscience, The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), and Estée Lauder brand lead scientist, to give a keynote address on innovation in the beauty industry. In her lecture, “Harnessing Epigenetics: from Anti-Aging to Age Reversal,” Dr. Pernodet shared ELC’s research over the past 15 years and findings on how epigenetics, through the influence of external environment and lifestyle, directly impacts skin aging. She also explained that understanding the positive and negative epigenetic signals provides the ability to reverse skin aging with the right technologies. The data presented in her keynote lecture covered insights from Dr. Pernodet’s work on circadian rhythm, microRNAs, mechanobiology, and longevity proteins, exploring how the microenvironment and macroenvironment alter skin cell activities. This body of research is at the core of continued development of approaches to allow innovations moving from anti-aging to age reversal. 

Under Dr. Pernodet’s leadership, ELC’s R&D Bioscience team continues to contribute pivotal findings relating to the role of epigenetics on cellular functions essential for youthful skin. Her team is consistently present at key national and international dermatology conferences, where they disseminate ELC discoveries to investigative and clinical scientists.

Mei Yu, MD, PhD, Executive Director, Clinical Translation, Global Clinical & Consumer Science, Global R&D, ELC, was selected by the scientific programme committee for a podium presentation, where she shared a translational clinical study titled “Development and validation of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) model in multi-ethnicities using different induction methods.” A part of ELC’s R&D department, the Clinical Translation function is dedicated to generating new clinical insights and methodologies and developing breakthrough technologies in select areas to bridge fundamental scientific discoveries and actual clinical benefits. The Clinical Translation team expands the repertoire of in vivo testing protocols to measure consumer-relevant benefits and assess the effects of skin care formulations on those benefits.

Consistent with ELC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in its product offerings, Dr. Yu’s presentation emphasized the need to develop optimal protocols and methodologies to address ethnic differences. The study showed a reliable methodology to induce and evaluate the progression of PIH and to help develop treatment options for the resolution and prevention of PIH across multiple Fitzpatrick skin types. The team followed the time courses of inflammatory response and pigmentation for 3 different PIH induction methods in Caucasian, Asian, and African–American study participants to identify the optimal induction methods to use to evaluate anti-hyperpigmentation technologies.

“This work represents a significant advancement because it helps facilitate better understanding of the dynamic development and progression of PIH as well as postinflammatory erythema (PIE), their underlying mechanisms, and their manifestations across skin phototypes and ethnicities,” said Dr. Yu. “Implementing this protocol will better enable the development of novel and fully inclusive treatment options for its resolution.”

The work presented by ELC scientists at the 33^rd IFSCC Congress reflects advances in ELC’s core scientific platforms, including epigenetics, as well as our commitment to pursuing research that is inclusive of skin types and ethnicities from around the globe in order to develop methods, technologies, and products that meet the needs and desires of our diverse consumers. Around the world, ELC is dedicated to cutting-edge science with multidisciplinary expertise ranging from basic science and advanced technologies to the intersections of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. The company has 75 years of formulation authority and is deeply integrated into the scientific community, regularly presenting at leading events and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. ELC has a commitment to advancing women in STEM; within its own operations, all of the company’s R&D and innovation laboratories worldwide are led by women, and more than half of its scientists, engineers, and technical professionals are women.

About The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Investors:

Rainey Mancini

[email protected]

Media:

Jill Marvin

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