A major European research project led by the Medical University of Vienna will investigate how environmental factors increase melanoma risk in young people.
The four-year initiative, known as PhotoMel, has secured more than €5.7 million in funding through the Horizon Europe Mission Cancer program and is scheduled to start in September 2026.
This project will focus on two poorly understood factors in the development of skin cancer: exposure to UVA radiation during childhood and adolescence, and the interaction of UVA exposure with ingredients commonly found in skin care products.
The researchers aim to understand how these factors influence skin biology and potentially contribute to the early stages of melanoma progression.
Scientists hope this discovery will lead to improved prevention strategies, new biomarkers to identify high-risk individuals, and predictive tools that could help reduce melanoma risk and improve outcomes for young patients across Europe.
Addressing the persistent cancer threat
Malignant melanoma remains one of the most deadly cancers affecting young people in Europe. Although public health campaigns have long warned about the dangers of sun exposure, melanoma incidence remains a significant challenge.
PhotoMel aims to expand scientific understanding beyond the established role of UVB-induced DNA damage. Instead, researchers plan to investigate how UVA radiation, which penetrates deep into the skin, causes biological changes that increase the risk of melanoma over time.
The study will also assess whether certain chemical additives in skin care products affect the skin’s response to UVA exposure, potentially creating conditions that promote the development or progression of cancer.
Advanced technology to elucidate new mechanisms
The international consortium, coordinated by Karin Pfisterer from MedUni Vienna Dermatology, will use a variety of advanced research techniques to investigate disease processes.
These include in vitro skin models, mutational analysis, extracellular matrix studies, spatial multiomics, high-resolution microscopy, functional genomics, and computer-based modeling of cellular interactions within skin tissue.
By combining these approaches, researchers aim to identify previously unknown biological mechanisms that may link environmental exposures to melanoma risk in young people.
Building predictive models for early intervention
The main objective of this project is to understand how chemical and UV-related exposures alter the structure and mechanical properties of skin tissue.
The researchers plan to investigate whether these changes influence the appearance of melanoma cell populations and contribute to metastasis.
Patient cohorts and retrospective clinical datasets will be used to validate the project results. This will help determine whether molecular and structural changes observed in laboratory models are associated with real-world disease outcomes.
The resulting predictive models may provide clinicians with new tools to assess melanoma risk and identify individuals who may benefit from early monitoring and intervention.
Supporting future prevention strategies
Beyond its scientific goals, PhotoMel aims to create interoperable datasets and develop new biomarkers to support personalized approaches to melanoma prevention and management.
The project forms part of the European Cancer Mission’s ‘Understanding Environmental Exposures in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults’ cluster and aims to improve knowledge about how environmental factors contribute to the development of cancer.
With growing concern about melanoma incidence among younger age groups, this project could provide valuable evidence for future public health recommendations and more effective strategies to reduce melanoma risk across Europe.
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