Project description
Photoprotective bacteria provide environmentally friendly shield against UV light
Small amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation are beneficial for people, but prolonged exposure may result in acute and chronic health effects. In addition, there is concern about the safety of UV-protection products: designed to shield against the sun’s harmful rays, they may also expose users to risks, ranging from allergic reactions to DNA damage, increasing the chances of developing cancer. Some of these products are also bad for the environment, harming coral reefs and the marine ecosystem. The EU-funded UVERA project will address these issues by introducing an innovative ecologically friendly compound produced by cyanobacteria that has broad photoprotective activity. More importantly, it is safe for both humans and the environment.
Objective
UVera is a fusion of innovation and interdisciplinary approach to skin protection against the whole spectrum of UV sun radiation as well as anti-pollution factors like Blue Light. Our mission is to provide society with natural and safe UV protection products with no negative environmental impact on the planet.
Regular synthetic chemical UV filters cause DNA damage and strong allergy reactions, can increase the risk of cancer developing as well as disrupt the endocrine system. What is more, they are responsible for destruction of coral reefs and marine ecosystem. There is a clear need for new safe and produced in natural way UV sunscreen filters.
We provide the solution by offering to the cosmetic market single dominating UV protector. Our ecologically friendly novel compound is produced by specific species of cyanobacteria. It has great stability and uniquely wide photoprotection activity. And most important: it is safe to human body as well as natural environment. For the first time unique microorganisms which are occurring in natural environment are used to produce a natural UV-protection compound on industrial scale. The technology of production is humble and disruptive - based on bacteria natural farm harvesting, meaning no recombinant nor GMO, fueling with sun rays and CO2 and environmentally safe side products of O2 and nutritious biomass to be further used in natural cosmetics and ecological agriculture.
UVera is a bridge between ideas and innovation, which was created out of interdisciplinary works of scientists and business developers. Our team brings together subject experts in technologies related to microbiological culturing, process design and engineering, scale-up of new technologies, and translation of innovative ideas into commercial products. The team has gathered market intelligence and comes with a strong network of industry leaders. We have expertise in commercialization of medical projects with successful exits and Mergers and Acquisitions.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
90 151 LODZ
Poland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.