Health · sun protection
Sun, when it is not a friend.
People with albinism have little or no melanin — making daily sun protection essential, not optional. A working library of research, access initiatives, and practical resources.
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Journal of Investigative Dermatology
A lipid molecule may explain how keloid radiotherapy works
Researchers have identified two molecular signals that drive the benefits of keloid radiotherapy, pointing toward treatments that do not require radiation access.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Immune escape mechanism found in rare skin lymphoma
A Journal of Investigative Dermatology study identifies IL4I1-producing macrophages in advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, pointing to a possible pathway tumours use to evade immune detection.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
What UV light does to moles, cell by cell
A new study mapped the effects of solar radiation on human skin tissue using single-nucleus RNA sequencing. Its findings add precision to what scientists know about UV and melanoma risk.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Mouse study probes Merkel cells and skin inflammation
A Journal of Investigative Dermatology study found that Merkel cells help regulate immune-driven skin inflammation in mice, with possible implications for photosensitive skin conditions.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Dermoscopy remains the standard for melanoma detection
A review of 114 studies finds skin cancer imaging tools are improving, but cost and access still limit their reach in under-resourced settings.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
A protein link between UV exposure and skin ageing
Researchers have identified Fibulin-5 as a target of the enzyme Granzyme B, offering a new explanation for how UV exposure breaks down skin's elastic structure.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Skin and skull development traced to two proteins
A Journal of Investigative Dermatology study identifies KCTD1 and KCTD15 as regulators of the neural crest cells that shape the face, skull, and scalp skin.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
A new antibody approach targets hair loss inflammation
Researchers testing an antibody called hC2 found it reduced autoimmune activity linked to alopecia areata, without the side effects tied to current approved treatments.
AllAfrica — Albinism
Merck Foundation trains oncology workers across 27 African countries
A partnership between the Merck Foundation and the Tata Memorial Centre has delivered specialised cancer training to health workers across 27 African nations, including Ghana.
AllAfrica — Albinism
South African scientists decode a key cancer survival strategy
Researchers in South Africa have identified how the protein Mucin-1 shifts from protective sentinel to cancer enabler. The finding may open new directions in oncology research.
PubMed — Albinism Research
Pigeon pigmentation genes linked to human melanoma
A new study finds that the same genes governing colour mutations in pigeons can drive melanoma in humans, offering a fresh line of melanoma research.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Skin proteins shape how dermal tissue grows after birth
A study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology finds that two proteins, YAP and TAZ, help fibroblasts build the collagen matrix that gives skin its structure.
AllAfrica — Albinism
Discovery members live longer, but chronic illness grows
Discovery Health's latest report finds members are living longer, but managing multiple chronic conditions at once. The pattern holds implications for people with albinism.
PubMed — Albinism Research
Cave fish share one genetic root for albinism
A study in Nature finds that unrelated cavefish populations across separate geographies lost pigment through the same mutation in a single gene.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Genetic study links inner ear development to Ménière disease
A genome-wide analysis across five biobanks has identified three genes tied to inner ear development and retinoic acid signalling as significant factors in Ménière disease.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Two skin treatments compared for UV-damaged skin
A study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology examines how 5-fluorouracil and photodynamic therapy differ in clearing precancerous mutations from sun-damaged skin.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Mouse model points to Merkel cell carcinoma's origins
A new mouse model developed by researchers at the Journal of Investigative Dermatology traces a rare and aggressive skin cancer to hair follicle cells. The finding could reshape how scientists study and treat Merkel cell carcinoma.
PubMed — Albinism Research
CRISPR produces the first gene-edited lizards with albinism
Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 to disable pigmentation genes in anole lizards, producing the first reptiles with albinism created through gene editing.
PubMed — Albinism Research
Gene mutations behind albinism mapped in Chinese families
A study published in Wiley Online Library examined mutations in three key genes linked to oculocutaneous albinism across Chinese families, adding to the genetic record.
AllAfrica — Albinism
Senegal sequences its first 40 human whole genomes
Institut Pasteur de Dakar has launched a genomics and early cancer detection platform, sequencing 40 human whole genomes for the first time in Senegal's history.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
AI in dermatology carries a hidden environmental cost
A Journal of Investigative Dermatology study finds AI diagnostic tools demand significant energy and water — burdens that fall hardest on under-resourced communities.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Genetic mutations that raise multiple melanoma risk
Researchers in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology examined why some people develop melanoma more than once, finding inherited CDKN2A mutations at the centre.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
WHO formally names skin disease a global health priority
A May 2025 World Health Assembly resolution recognised skin diseases as a global public health priority, affecting an estimated 4.5 billion people worldwide.
PubMed — Albinism Research
Genome-wide testing sharpens diagnosis of inherited eye conditions
A new study finds that genome-wide sequencing identifies causes of inherited retinal and eye conditions that standard panels routinely miss, with direct implications for people with albinism.
PubMed — Albinism Research
What a 2014 genetic review found about albinism mutations
A compact review published in BioMed Research International mapped the mutational landscape of oculocutaneous albinism across known gene variants. The findings remain a reference point in albinism genetics research.
PubMed — Albinism Research
Primate model created to study oculocutaneous albinism genes
Researchers developed a nonhuman primate model carrying mutations in TYR and OCA2, two genes central to oculocutaneous albinism. The model may advance understanding of pigmentation and vision development.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Sweat gland aging and the skin's immune landscape
A study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology examines how aging reshapes the tissue environment around sweat glands, shifting focus from cells to their surroundings.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Keloid disease carries a burden beyond skin deep
A review in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology calls keloid disease a debilitating chronic condition — not a cosmetic issue — affecting millions worldwide.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Stress slows skin recovery in atopic dermatitis, study finds
A Journal of Investigative Dermatology study found psychological stress delays inflammation resolution and prolongs sensory sensitisation in people recovering from atopic dermatitis.