Global skincare company Beiersdorf has announced a four-year research project in collaboration with the German Cancer Research centre (DKFZ).  

Beiersdorf is a global manufacturing giant of the skincare industry, with well known brands such as NIVEA, Eucerin and La Prairie under its portfolio.  

The brand expends significant time and resources into developing and manufacturing high-quality skincare products; over 1,000 Beiersdorf employees globally work in research and development, with over 700 colleagues based at its Hamburg headquarters.  

Dr. Gitta Neufang, Senior Vice President for Research & Development at Beiersdorf, says: More than 140 years ago, skin research was the ‘nucleus’ of Beiersdorf – and it still is today. Our global skincare company is dedicated to preserving and restoring skin health”.  

In July, Beiersdorf announced the establishment of a Joint Innovation Lab with the DKFZ as part of the brand’s strategic approach to foster a culture of innovation. The guiding principle for the scientists of Beiersdorf and the DKFZ is to investigate the ‘epigenetic clock’ of skin cells, a molecular clock that indicates age based on small chemical tags within skin cells.   

Prof. Dr. Frank Lyko, head of the Epigenetics department at DKFZ, says: “Age is the most important known risk factor for developing cancer. Our vision is to specifically intervene in the skin’s epigenetics to biologically rejuvenate skin cells and potentially reduce the risk of skin cancer”.  

The DKFZ-Beiersdrof Joint Innovation Lab has been established initially on a four-year basis, with a total of €‎4.8 million invested in the project.