Researchers at USC say they have found a “sunscreen gene" that could help protect against skin cancer. 

The “UV radiation Resistance Associated Gene,” as it’s called, may help protect against skin cancer, which is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. 

We were joined by Chengyu Liang, one of the report's authors and an associate professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Keck School of Medicine. 

"When this gene is deficient or mutated, the person will be less protected from harmful UV rays and may have a higher chance to get melanoma and other skin cancers," says Liang. 

Those who have the normal UV-resistant gene can repair any sunburn in a timely manner, while those who have a defective gene cannot repair UV damage quickly enough, leading to the instability of our DNA, which could increase the risk of skin cancer.

According to Liang, everyone has this gene, but there is no data how much or to what extent the sunscreen gene might affect the general population. 

But we do know that in melanoma patients, whether a person has the gene or not can make a big difference. The higher the level of the gene, the better the survival, says Liang. 

The gene was discovered nearly 20 years ago, but scientists had not explored how it works until now. It brings hope as it could help new drug developments, and treat people who are at high risk for developing skin cancer. 

To hear the full segment, click the blue play button above.