The University of Manchester and Alliance Boots, parent company of high street beauty retailer Boots, have announced a renewed five-year partnership researching skin ageing.

The partnership, which is confirmed until 2018, will look at the characteristics of skin ageing and the impact of environmental factors, as well as ageing in different ethnicities and causes of accelerated skin ageing like inflammation.

The findings of the research will be used to drive innovation in skincare in Boots’ product brands, meaning that more powerful and advanced skincare formulations could be available to clients on the high street.

The University of Manchester and Alliance Boots have been in partnership for five years, during which time they have published 29 academic articles showcasing new findings and presented at 20 international conferences.

Professor Ornella Barra, chief executive of wholesale and brands at Alliance Boots said that the renewed partnership indicates the retail company’s commitment to investment and research in the UK. “I believe, together, we will become a global leader in skin ageing research, which will help further drive the internationalisation of our product brands,” she said.

Professor Chris Griffiths, consultant dermatologist who is heading up the research team at the University of Manchester, said, “We can tell a lot about the overall health of a person from looking at their skin – this exciting new partnership will allow us to better understand how we age and why people age at different rates.”