Sandia-UNM dye helps detect skin cancer risk

Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico have developed a colorimetric dye, sensitized to ultraviolet (UV) photocomposition, for use as a direct-reading colorimetric radiation dosimeter that could allow users to easily evaluate their risk of skin cancer at any time or location.

Unlike traditional colorimetric dyes, this invention does not require submersion in hazardous solvents; it can be printed on an absorbent substrate, such as paper. When exposed to UV radiation, the dye changes color across a yellow-brown scale corresponding to the extent of UV dosage. The dosimeter is designed to be mobile, low-cost, and easy to use.

The university has filed intellectual property paperwork on the new technology and is currently exploring commercialization options.

For more details, visit https://unm.flintbox.com/public/project/63179/