Agilent Technologies Inc. is collaborating with researchers at two UK universities who are looking into the risk factors for atopic eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis), a chronic skin condition that affects one in five children and one in 12 adults.

The aim of the collaboration is to help the medical community diagnose the condition early and to administer the best possible treatment.

To that end, UK researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of Manchester are conducting a study to follow a group of 175 babies during their first year of life to see how skin matures, and identify which babies are most at risk of developing eczema.

Underpinning the study is the researcher’s use of Agilent’s specialized Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technology. Agilent has developed a prototype sampling approach that enables researchers to work non-invasively, and with speed and accuracy. This technology, built around Agilent’s 4300 Handheld FTIR, is already being used in studies for direct skin measurements, where it provides higher-quality data more reliably when compared to prior methods. Agilent is currently considering making the new sampling device available so that others working in skin research can take advantage of its unique capabilities.

The early identification of high-risk babies creates an opportunity to prevent eczema developing—and could also potentially be used to prevent the development of other inflammatory skin disorders.