NMF
Our skin constitutes a formidable barrier between our body and the outside world. It prevents uncontrolled loss of water and keeps chemicals and micro-organisms out. Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) plays an important role in keeping this barrier intact. This mixture of salts and amino acid derivatives constitutes about 25% of the dry weight of the stratum corneum. NMF derives in large part from the enzymatic breakdown of filaggrin: a key skin protein.
Filaggrin-gene Mutation
Not everybody produces sufficient NMF to keep the skin healthy. About 10 percent of the population is born with an impaired skin barrier, caused by a filaggrin-gene mutation. This mutation results in a low NMF concentration in the skin.
Many children born with such a gene mutation develop Atopic Dermatitis and allergies. One hypothesis regarding causation is increased exposure to environmental allergens.
NMF-Scan
NMF-Scan is a prototype device for the quick and easy, non-invasive determination of NMF concentration in the skin. In collaboration with hospitals in Ireland, Denmark, Germany and The Netherlands we are exploring several use cases:
- Identification of newborn babies at increased risk of developing Atopic Dermatitis (AD)
- Identification of people at risk of developing occupation-related skin conditions
- Stratification of AD patients to enable personalized disease management and treatment
