Theme 4: Marine biological resources/Biotechnology

Developing products for soothing the skin is one of the aims of the cosmetics industry today. The stakes are high: half the population suffers from problems associated with ‘sensitive skin’ and one third from itchy skin conditions. For several years, the cosmetics industry has been extremely interested in neurocosmetics – substances that have an effect on how the skin and the nervous system interact. Molecules derived from the marine environment represent an innovative source of natural active ingredients.

The VAMINC project will carry out in vitro studies into the effect these marine active ingredients have on neurogenetic skin inflammation – shooting pains, burning sensations, cold-related pain and prickling – using a laboratory culture model and skin neurons and cells perfected in particular at the Cutaneous Neurobiology Lab (Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Cutanée) at the University of Bretagne Occidentale.

The active ingredients identified will be directly commercialised by the companies producing them or, depending on agreements reached, will be incorporated into various formulas before being marketed both nationally and internationally.

VAMINC project partners

Companies :

• Polaris, Pleuven, project director, company with expertise in nutritional lipids that supplies industry with high quality oil

• Polymaris Biotechnology, Morlaix, a company specialising in the research, characterisation and development of glucidic biomolecules from its own collection of marine microorganisms

• Proclaim, Rennes, research company that undertakes specialist testing of the effectiveness of cosmetic and healthfood products

• The Laboratoires Dermatologiques d’Uriage, Courbevoie/Uriage, commercial dermatology labs that develop cosmetic products for cleansing and caring for the skin, especially for skin that has above-average sensitivity, and market them in pharmacies and parapharmacies in France and abroad

Research centre:

Morvan University Hospital, University of Bretagne Occidentale, EA 4326 Skin Neurobiology Lab, Brest

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The project is officially recognised by the Pôle Mer Bretagne