Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world with a diagnosis every 30 minutes, and over 2,000 people dying from the disease each year. It accounts for more diagnoses than all other cancers combined, and costs more than $750 million annually to treat.
UV radiation is the most important environmental factor in the development of skin cancer. According to the Cancer Council Australia, it may take more than 12 hours after overexposure to UV radiation for the signs of the erythemal reaction – the characteristic redness of sunburn – to appear. This makes it extremely challenging for an average person to determine their sun-safe exposure limits.
Dr Noushin Nasiri
Dr Noushin Nasiri is the Head of the NanoTech Laboratory at the School of Engineering (Macquarie University). She is one of Australia’s 2021-2022 Superstars of STEM, 40 under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians 2021, and the recipient of NSW 2019 Young Tall Poppy Science Award. Her research is focused on design and fabrication of nanostructured materials, miniaturised sensor technologies and wearable electronics for personalised and preventive medicine. She serves on the editorial board of Nanotechnology and Nanomanufacturing journals. She is a passionate science communicator who has received considerable outside recognition for her research including TEDx Sydney Salon 2017, TEDx Macquarie University 2019 and TEDx Bligh Street 2020 and ABC Ockham’s Razor 2018.
