Melanin News and Research

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In humans, melanin is the primary determinant of skin color. It is also found in hair, the pigmented tissue underlying the iris of the eye, and the stria vascularis of the inner ear. In the brain, tissues with melanin include the medulla and zona reticularis of the adrenal gland, and pigment-bearing neurons within areas of the brainstem, such as the locus coeruleus and the substantia nigr

People with darker skin might be more susceptible to nicotine addiction

Blacks and others with darker skin might be at greater risk for tobacco addiction than whites and those with lighter skin because the greater the amount of melanin, the coloring pigment in skin, the more nicotine appears to be stored, according to preliminary findings published in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, the New York Times reports.

19 May 2009

Discovery of molecule ‘superfamily’ that causes melanoma apread

A University of Nebraska Medical Center research team has determined that a superfamily of molecules holds the secret to the progression and spread of melanoma -- the deadliest form of skin cancer. The study results were published in the May 13 of the British Journal of Cancer.

13 May 2009

Molecular superfamily causes melanoma spread

Molecular superfamily causes melanoma spread A superfamily of molecules holds the secret to the development and spread of melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer, revealed a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

13 May 2009

Blocking hunger hormone helps fight cocaine addiction

UC Irvine pharmacological researchers have discovered that blocking a hormone related to hunger regulation can limit cocaine cravings.

1 Apr 2009

Lack of vitamin D in the diet could mean too much fat on adolescents

Too little vitamin D could be bad for more than your bones; it may also lead to fatter adolescents, researchers say.

12 Mar 2009

Dermatologists find new application for technique used to treat spider veins

Recent advances in skin rejuvenation can take years off one's appearance by softening or erasing fine lines and wrinkles, plumping sunken cheeks and erasing sun spots and uneven pigmentation.

5 Mar 2009

Why we turn gray

A team of European scientists have finally solved a mystery that has perplexed humans throughout the ages: why we turn gray.

23 Feb 2009

Melanotan I and Melanotan II linked to rapidly changing moles

Melanotan (an unlicensed medicine dubbed the "tan jab") can cause rapid changes in the appearance of moles, warn skin experts in this week's BMJ .

29 Jan 2009

Photoacoustic tomography changes lymph node biopsy, reduces radiaiton exposure

Information obtained from a new application of photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is worth its weight in gold to breast cancer patients.

13 Jan 2009

New insight into the response of human skin to radiation

Scientists have new insight into the response of human skin to radiation and what drives the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer.

20 Nov 2008

Fat tissue found to produce melanin

A two-year study conducted by researchers at George Mason University, INOVA Fairfax Hospital and the National Cancer Institute may open the door to new therapies for combating chronic diseases associated with obesity, a condition that affected more than 33 percent of American adults in 2005-06 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

7 Nov 2008

Melanin shows potential as new drug target for obesity

As millions of Americans gear up for the Thanksgiving holiday, a new research report published online in The FASEB Journal, may provide some relief for those leery of having a second helping.

29 Oct 2008

Discovery of protein that stops the growth of melanomas

One might call it a tale of two melanocytes. Given the same genetic mutation, why does one melanocyte shut down growth and become a relatively benign mole, while another rages out of control and develops into deadly melanoma"

8 Feb 2008

New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor

A team at the University of Copenhagen have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye colour of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.

4 Feb 2008

Tuberculosis found in 500,000-year-old human

Although most scientists believe tuberculosis emerged only several thousand years ago, new research from The University of Texas at Austin reveals the most ancient evidence of the disease has been found in a 500,000-year-old human fossil from Turkey.

10 Dec 2007

Topical treatment for age spots

Sun-induced skin damage can cause brown age spots, especially on oft-exposed areas like the hands and face.

5 Dec 2007

Stanford scientists find gene that gives dogs black fur

A discovery about the genetics of coat color in dogs could help explain why humans come in different weights and vary in our abilities to cope with stress, a team led by researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine reports.

30 Oct 2007

Red hair and freckles - Neanderthals in Europe

Fossil remains of Neanderthals paint an incomplete picture; they cannot tell us about their cognitive skills or give us details of what they looked like.

28 Oct 2007

What gives us sunburn protects crayfish against bacteria

The production of melanin gives us sunburns, but it also helps invertebrate animals to encapsulate attacking fungi and parasites.

25 Sep 2007

Skin cooling may increase risk of discoloration after laser treatment

A cooling technique intended to protect the skin may actually increase the risk of discoloration in dark-skinned patients undergoing laser treatments for mole-like skin lesions, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

18 Sep 2007