The world is improvising day by day with new styles, new trends & new technologies. But the world is not aware yet of using the natural technology at its level best for mankind. A Bangladeshi scientist has revealed the new opportunity to use the power of nature against the deadly “Skin Cancer”.
One in every three cancer cases diagnosed all over the world is being certified as skin cancer. This disease is turning into a threat to the world day by day. According to the statistics by the World Health Organization (WHO), every year over 2000 people die from this specific disease all over the world. This deadly disease causes mainly because of the UV radiation which induces degenerative changes in the cells of the skin, in the long run it fibrous tissue and blood vessels leading to premature skin aging, photodermatoses and actinic keratoses.
Statistics says, in Australia, more than 1200 people die due to skin cancer – Melanoma each year. This mortality rate has forced the scientists to invent more effective solutions to prevent this deadly disease.
A textile Engineer, a Muslim Bangladeshi lady, Ms Tarannum Afrin has taken her step to get rid of the national health problem of Australia and the world. Ms Tarannum Afrin is a textile engineer and a PhD student at the Deakin University’s Institute of Technology & Resource Innovation. She has been working for long on using the earth’s most versatile and fast growing grass which is mostly known as “Bamboo” to make it useful to prevent the UV rays which mostly is the reason to cause skin cancer. Finally she has succeeded in producing a special fibre manufactured from bamboo fibres.
Ms Tarannum Afrin says,
“As we know Bamboo is 60 percent better than cotton in blocking the Sun’s UV rays and my research has identified the component in bamboo which gives it these qualities, but when you make textile fibre from bamboo,the challenge is to retain the structure that gives it its moisture wicking properties”
Ms Tarannum has been a really Bright student in her educational career. She obtained a degree in textile technology from the university of Dhaka, and then she undertook an MSc Degree in Clothing Product Development at Manchester Metropolitan University. She worked as a Quality Control Officer in a garment manufacturer before joining the Deakin University for her PhD Degree.
Bamboo has been proven as an emerging fibre for the textile and medical industries. It can grow up to 1 meter per night and it is more productive than cotton comparatively.
Ms Tarannum says,
“ Raw bamboo has numerous micro gaps or grooves like capillaries in its structure which have been revealed by scanning electron microscopy. It is because of its highly porous structure that bamboo can rapidly soak moisture. We are developing a new fibre manufacturing technique which will offer improved wicking properties in clothes such as sportswear”
Ms Tarannum Afrin has invented an eco friendly technology that can be useful for both environment and human welfare. Her research says, bamboo can be grown even in poor soil. Unlike cotton clothes, bamboo takes a little water or irrigation to survive, and bamboo can really be effective in reducing carbon. A hectare of bamboo can absorb up to 100 tons of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide).
Ms Afrin is currently working on improvising this eco – friendly fibre to make it more useful and spread this newest technology all over the worlds textile industry to help the world fight against skin cancer. She is the pride of Bangladesh. We Salute this “Golden Girl of Bangladesh”.