RIFM Collaborates with SenzaGen on Skin Sensitization Research

A 50-year veteran of the fragrance industry, Ken Wessel owned and operated Wessel Fragrances for more than 20 years. A resident of Vero Beach, Florida, Ken Wessel also spent 33 years on the board of directors of the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials.

The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) is a non-profit organization that gathers scientific data and conducts testing and evaluations on fragrance raw materials. The RIFM’s Skin Sensitization team engages in research projects to evaluate ingredients’ potential to cause allergic skin reactions, such as red, bumpy, or itchy skin.

As of 2021, the RFIM is conducting more than 10 skin sensitization-related research products that aim to increase understanding of allergies while phasing out animal testing. Its efforts include a collaboration with SenzaGen, a biotechnology company whose skin assay, Genomic Allergen Rapid Detection, can help predict the potential for an ingredient to cause skin sensitization. Unlike irritation, which is a temporary surface response, sensitization causes an immune response that only develops in some people.