Greentech Wins IFSCC Prize for Skin Pigment Research
The award recognizes research identifying a sensory neuron signaling molecule linked to localized melanin overproduction.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Science — General
Greentech received the 2026 IFSCC Grand Prize for Applied Research, presented at the 36th IFSCC Congress in Perth, Australia. The award-winning work identifies RGMB, a molecule released by sensory neurons, as a signaling factor contributing to localized melanin overproduction.
Why it matters
Hyperpigmentation research has traditionally focused on melanocytes and keratinocytes, leaving the role of sensory neurons underexplored. The findings point to a neuronal signaling pathway upstream of the epidermal pigmentary response.
The research used a 3D reconstructed pigmented human skin model rather than conventional 2D cell cultures to study RGMB signaling at the tissue level. The stub does not provide quantitative effect sizes or sample counts for the model results.
The players
Greentech
A company that received the 2026 IFSCC Grand Prize for Applied Research and developed the ILUMYS natural active ingredient based on the award-winning work.
LabSkin Creations
A collaborator that worked with Greentech to develop the reconstructed, pigmented human skin model used in the research.
The details
Greentech developed a reconstructed, pigmented human skin model with neuro-mimetic features in collaboration with LabSkin Creations. The model showed RGMB promotes remodeling of the epidermal pigmentary unit and that UV exposure amplifies these tissue-level effects.
Timeline
Article published on 2026-11-09 reporting the IFSCC award.
The Big Picture
The award at the 36th IFSCC Congress in Perth places this neuronal signaling discovery within the cosmetic science community's ongoing research into skin pigmentation. It shifts attention from melanocytes and keratinocytes toward upstream sensory neuron pathways.
The research opens possibilities for skincare ingredients that act upstream of pigmentation, though the stub gives no commercialization timeline. ILUMYS, a natural active ingredient designed to reduce age spots and help prevent their formation, is one such product based on the work.
The takeaway
Neuronal signaling is a newly identified contributor to localized pigmentation, which may lead to skincare ingredients targeting the upstream response. Readers interested in age spot treatments should watch for further validation beyond the laboratory model.
Further reading
Explore more Science — General coverage for related discoveries.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Premium Beauty News.
