India, Jan. 17 -- Agilent Technologies Inc.is collaborating with researchers at two UK universities who are looking into the risk factors for atopic eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis), a chronic skin condition that affects one in five children and one in 12 adults.

The aim of the collaboration is to help the medical community diagnose the condition early and to administer the best possible treatment.

To that end, UK researchers at theUniversity of Sheffieldand theUniversity of Manchesterare conducting a study to follow a group of 175 babies during their first year of life to see how skin matures, and identify which babies are most at risk of developing eczema.

Underpinning the study is the researcher's use of Agilent's specialize...