A BUSINESS specialising in pioneering skin cancer treatment and sun-damaged skin testing is to establish a base in the North-East.

Canada-based Genesis Genomics (GGUK), a biotech research corporation, is developing an early warning system to aid the effective treatment of skin cancer and skin damaged by sunburn.

It plans to use its base at Newcastle University to push the commercial development of the world's first "skin physical" test, using information gleaned from advances in DNA research into sun-damaged cells.

GGUK's test will give patients a reliable measure of the extent of sun-damaged skin and provide personal lifestyle advice to minimise future damage.

The research arm of the company will also work to provide an early indicator of skin cancer development.

One NorthEast has agreed a £200,000 Research and Development Grant to help establish GGUK at the university and the company hopes to create 15 jobs initially.

Mark Birch-Machin, professor of dermatological sciences at Newcastle University, said: "Our research group is leading world advances in this field. The unique element of our work is being able to measure the sunburnt DNA in normal, healthy people rather than just in people who are suffering from skin cancer.

"We have managed to find a particular DNA marker which tells us 'I have been damaged and how much I have been damaged'."

Prof Birch-Machin is also working on the next generation of sunscreens to protect DNA from sun damage.