Dismayed by the chemical reactivity and inconsistent protection provided by commercial sunscreen products, Professor Peter Dobson and Drs. Gareth Wakefield and John Knowland at the University of Oxford in England created Optisol UV Absorber in the late 1990s.
In addition to protecting against ultraviolet B radiation, Optisol also protects against ultraviolet A radiation, which has only recently been recognized as another contributor to skin damage. The active ingredient in Optisol is titanium dioxide with added manganese. The manganese also absorbs UVA light and helps stop the formation of free radicals in the titanium oxide when it is exposed to sunlight.
This makes Optisol -based sunscreens more stable when exposed to light than traditional sunscreens, as well as more effective in protecting against cell damage and premature aging.
With the help of the University of Oxford’s technology transfer company, Isis Innovation Ltd., Dobson founded Oxonica in 1999. The company is based in Oxford and currently employs 56 people. Oxonica develops and manufactures other innovative nanotechnology-based products, such as a nanocatalyst that improves fuel economy and lowers emissions.
For more information, go to www.oxonica.com.
This story was originally published in 2007.
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