Advanced biomaterial based pharmaceutical formulations

While traditional, small molecule drugs continue to play a significant role due to their oral bioavailability, they also suffer from lower selectivity, frequently accompanied with side-effects. On the other hand, great progress in molecular biology has been utilising large molecule biological products called biologics (e.g. proteins and nucleic acids), as more specific, targeted and sometimes the only possible treatments, nonetheless with low oral bioavailability. To circumvent the bioavailability issues, biologics are injected, sometimes multiple times per day by trained medical staff, adding to the cost, and reducing the accessibility of the treatment. To make matters even more complicated, some treatments require a combination of both small and large molecules delivered at the same time to a target site, which is challenging due to the difference in their properties.

This project proposes to address the gap between advances in a large molecule drug discoveries and available pharmaceutical formulations fit for efficient, personalised, and cost-effective treatments. Starting from polymeric biomaterials, for example biocompatible hydrogels, mucoadhesive, injectable or implantable formulations will be developed and optimised for a long-acting disease-specific treatment. Targeted therapeutics include nucleic acids, which are shown promise in treating diseases by affecting their genetic blueprints through gene inhibition or editing, but remain a challenge for clinical translation due to their limited stability, as well as properties which obstruct efficient transition into cells. The proposed study links material design and properties, drug/s encapsulation and stability, and tuneable target-site-specific transfer. In the formulation, biomaterial construct has the role of a drug delivery system, containing and preserving required drug cargo, and releasing it at a target specific rate over several days, weeks, or even months, replacing need for daily injections.

Applicants should have a 1^st or 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline. During the PhD programme the student will be offered training in biomaterials synthesis, materials characterisation, drug encapsulation, drug release, drug stability and cell studies, as well as other drug specific training. Student will gain competency in Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fluorescence Spectroscopy (FS), Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Confocal Microscopy (CM) and other methods, required for analysis and characterisation of the formulations and their performance. The student will also have access to Postgraduate Researcher Development Programme with several hundreds of training courses to select from, based on their needs and interests. The skills the student will acquire during this PhD programme are highly transferable and suited for a prospective career in academia, R&D or industry.

Newcastle University is committed to being a fully inclusive Global University which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, as well as being open to flexible working practices.

Application enquires: 

Dr Katarina Novakovic, [email protected]