Screening of natural compounds for their anti-glycation activity on collagen fibrils using biochemical and biomechanical assays

Since the beginning of recorded time, humans have been developing ways to make themselves more beautiful or otherwise change their appearance. The hair-care industry itself has a huge global economic power: its estimated total value is $47B annually. However, beauty does not come without a price: methods currently being used for hair colouring and styling damage hair greatly. More importantly, they involve treatments that have negative effects on human and environmental health. To reduce the toxicity of hair-care treatments, SLI Beauty is developing new hair-surface chemical modification techniques. I have partnered with them to bring my expertise at biophysical characterization to assess the success of these surface modifications, and to develop new treatment modalities. With dedicated time spent onsite in the SLI Beauty labs, I have the opportunity to bring my critical skills to help develop marketable products for this expanding company.

Faculty Supervisor:

Nancy Forde

Student:

Tuba Altindal

Partner:

Salon Label Inc.

Discipline:

Physics / Astronomy

Sector:

Consumer goods

University:

Simon Fraser University