Triangle


Research at the School of Pharmacy

The School's research is focused on the quest for societal well-being through the application of novel technologies and social interaction in treating diseases. Our research encompasses seven themes: non-communicable diseases, pharmacy practice and health optimisation, infection and immunity, drug delivery systems, pedagogy in science, biological evaluation of natural products, and emerging health technologies.

Our approach is multidisciplinary and global, harnessing a pool of expertise and industrial collaborators internationally. One of our most recent collaborative works, on the impact of microplastics in the environment on human health, has raised broader societal awareness of this pressing issue to change societal behaviour towards single-use plastic.

Our primary research themes include:


1. Non-Communicable Diseases

Our researchers actively work on the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases (including resistant hypertension and dyslipidaemia), obesity, diabetes, and drug-induced hypersensitivity. This research also encompasses drug-herb interactions, CYP polymorphisms, and the health benefits of medicinal mushrooms.

2. Pharmacy Practice and Health Optimisation

We aim to enhance pharmacists' roles in patient care, improve patients' health and medicine-related knowledge, and increase the accessibility of healthcare services and resources. Pharmacy education is also a key focus, incorporating blended learning methods, ethnography, telehealth, and telemedicine.

3. Infection and Immunity

Our work delves into vaccine development, safety, and antimicrobial research. Using innovative delivery methods, we aim to develop new vaccines for infectious diseases like toxoplasma gondii. Additionally, we investigate the safety of existing vaccines and explore the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

4. Drug Delivery Systems

The theme explores nanotechnology applications for enhancing drug bioavailability. It also utilises the Quality by Design (QbD) concept in drug formulation and employs techniques like solid dispersion and complexation. Additionally, it researches rectal drug delivery, particularly bioadhesive suppository systems.

5. Pedagogy in Science

This theme aims to provide research and technology-led pedagogical methods in science, ensuring high-quality teaching practices and meaningful applications of science in students' lives. It encompasses various research areas, including developing educational games for immunology, innovative teaching methods for autonomic pharmacology, using eye-tracking technology to develop effective teaching materials, and developing interactive Biomedical Science modules for high school children.

6. Biological Evaluation and Mode of Action of Natural Products

Exploring the biological evaluation and mode of action of natural products is a key focus of this research theme. This includes their antimicrobial, anticancer, and immune-modulating properties, as well as research on functional foods with a special interest in medicinal mushrooms.

7. Emerging Health Technologies

This theme is at the forefront of exploring emerging health technologies like nanotechnology, nanoparticle sensing systems, and personalised medicines. It includes research on metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters for optical nanosensors, the synthesis of nanoparticles and nanotubes with antimicrobial activities for wastewater treatment, and the 3D printing of pharmaceuticals for personalised medicine.