We are pleased to announce Dr. Manuel Rodríguez-Paredes from the German Cancer Research Center, Germany will join the meeting and will present a talk about TapeLift: Non-Invasive Epigenetic Profiling for Skin Ageing and Cancer Risk.

Talk

The skin is continuously exposed to environmental stressors, particularly ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which progressively induce genetic and epigenetic alterations that contribute to both skin ageing and the development of keratinocyte carcinomas. Among these molecular changes, DNA methylation represents one of the most informative biomarkers of epidermal health, capturing biological processes associated with ageing, cellular proliferation and cancer risk. Despite its potential, the broad implementation of DNA methylation-based diagnostics in dermatology has been limited by the need for invasive sampling procedures and by the difficulty of obtaining high-quality genomic DNA from the epidermis.

Recent advances in non-invasive skin sampling are beginning to overcome these limitations. In particular, TapeLift combines adhesive tape stripping with optimized DNA recovery and DNA methylation profiling technologies to enable the generation of high-quality epidermal methylomes without the need for biopsies. This approach makes it possible to investigate age-associated epigenetic changes directly in the skin and to develop accurate epigenetic biomarkers from minimally invasive samples. Using TapeLift-derived methylomes, we have generated epidermis-specific epigenetic clocks capable of predicting biological age with high precision, while also identifying methylation patterns associated with increased cellular proliferation and early molecular features linked to skin cancer development.

In my presentation, I will explain the biological basis of epidermal DNA methylation, the development of TapeLift as a non-invasive epigenetic profiling platform, and how this technology can be applied to assess skin ageing and cancer risk. Ultimately, our goal is to translate epigenetic information into practical tools for skin health monitoring, preventive dermatology and the early identification of individuals at increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Skin Ageing & Challenges 2026
October 28–29, 2026 – Málaga, Spain
www.skin-challenges.com