Speaker
Description
In recent decades, the availability and use of wireless communication technology has grown exponentially in a wide range of internet-connected consumer devices, such as mobile phones, supporting the demand for high-speed networks. To meet this demand, the 5th generation mobile network (5G) is being developed and deployed. This new communications model will enable bandwidths of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) and beyond.
Radio frequency antennas are needed to enable the exchange between devices and the network. 5G can use a wide range of radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) between 700 and 6 000 MHz and high frequency bands between 3.5 and 3.8 GHz, as well as millimetre waves in the range of 24 to 29 GHz and possibly higher in the future. The propagation characteristics of radio waves at such high frequencies are very different from those at lower frequencies. Humans and animals are therefore exposed to these RF-EMF and some of them can penetrate the body and be absorbed in tissues. Despite research on these RF-EMFs, little is known about the effects of long-term exposure on human health. 5G waves are mainly absorbed at the surface of the body, so we wonder about the possible effects of 5G waves on the skin. Among these, tissue heating due to dielectric relaxation is well characterised, but other mechanisms such as oxidative stress are controversial. In this project, we will investigate the effects of RF-EMF at 26 GHz on oxidative stress in skin cells and its molecular and cellular consequences.
