Nowchem is a Chemical and Pharmaceutical manufacturing business located in NSW that manufactures a range of chemical products for industry, home and specialised applications. With various specialty chemicals products including detergents, cleaning products and disinfectants, the business strives to enhance people’s quality of life through everyday products.
Bulathsinhalage Nuwangi Pramuditha Cooray (Nuwangi) is a PhD candidate at University of Wollongong. Her research focused on developing new inorganic biocompatible nanocomposite materials for sunscreens. Such materials, while suppressing photocatalysis, would ideally increase UV efficiency and are thus very suitable for harsh Australian summer sun. Outside of the primary aim of her PhD, she was particularly interested in developing improved testing standards for sunscreens under Australian conditions.
While undertaking the internship, Nuwangi was taking on two major projects. The main project was the development and evaluation of inorganic sunscreen formulations, during which she selected and mixed the raw materials, ensuring proper dosing was performed, followed by adequate formulation conditions. The secondary project was to assess the properties of different formulations. I performed in-house in-vitro SPF testing, photostability assessments, and film thickness and mass loss upon UV exposure.
Throughout her internship, Nuwangi contributed to the comparative analysis of prepared formulations with commercially available sunscreens, which would help the manufacturer come to more meaningful conclusions about the performance of sunscreen formulation and its further possibilities of development.
“Nuwangi showed great aptitude in scoping the project to create novel sunscreen formulations by implementing formulation know-how within a Good Manufacturing framework and complying with Therapeutic goods regulations. She achieved her goal of preparing sunscreen formulations with nanoparticles that are up to industry standards and also expanding our capabilities with new methods and results which will help not only our R&D pipeline but will also lead to conference presentations and grant applications.”
-Dr Felix Meiser, Formulation Chemist, Nowchem Pharma and Skincare
As a University of Wollongong (UoW) LIFT subsidy recipient, Nuwangi emphasises the LIFT program’s support for women in STEM providing her with a sense of community throughout her internship.
Nuwangi believes the APR internship was integral to her PhD development, as it provides hands-on experience in an industrial research and development environment, as well as teaches the understanding of analytical techniques and data interpretation, as these are practical skills sought by most industry partners.
“The APR Intern program was one of those few life-changing experiences that equipped me with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to do well in my future career.”
Nuwangi’s biggest achievement within her internship at Nowchem was her research in the identification of promising formulations that boasted a high theoretical and in-house SPF value, coupled with correct viscosity and specific gravity has the potential to advance sunscreen technology.
Upon the completion of her PhD, this internship has motivated Nuwangi to continue bridging the gap that material science faces, working toward the development of safer, more effective sunscreens.
As there is an increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly skincare products, combining material science with nanotechnology and biotechnology will undoubtedly continue to create innovations in the skincare industry for the benefit of consumers and the environment.
Nuwangi Pramuditha Cooray is completing a PhD from University of Wollongong
Nuwangi Pramuditha Cooray was a recipient of the UOW Lift Wise Grant
