Antony Young is emeritus professor of experimental photobiology at St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK. He has a long-standing research history on the adverse and beneficial roles of solar ultraviolet radiation on human health. These include molecular and clinical outcomes such as DNA photodamage, vitamin D synthesis and photoimmunosuppression. Prof Young has also worked on photoprotection by melanin and sunscreens, most recently mycosporine like amino acids (MAA) derived from algal species. He has also studied the effects of sunscreens in “real life” including their impact on vitamin D synthesis. These studies reflect an interest in public health as does Prof Young’s membership of the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).