Building Manufacturing Science and Engineering Science Research at Roosevelt University

Orignally published in the MSE Section Newsletter: March 2012

by Moji Christianah Adeyeye, Ph.D, Chair, Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences

As part of the responsibilities of the Chair of Biopharmaceutical Sciences at Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy and as a mentor, Dr. Moji Adeyeye has led the efforts for research in the pharmaceutical sciences through the dedicated group of faculty that regularly emphasize pharmaceutical research as attractive career path to the Pharm.D class. As an introduction to compounding, research and development (R&D) the inaugural class has undertaken various pharmaceutics laboratory exercise such as granulation, encapsulation, roller compaction and tablet compression processes using R & D size equipment pieces that are available in the College. Opportunities have been created and executed for the students to take a field trip to a pharmaceutical company at least once a year as an experiential introduction to pharmaceutical research and development. Pharmaceutical sciences research team has attracted the professional Pharm.D students and the University Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program while the graduate program is being developed.

About eleven Pharm.D students out of sixty‐six have shown keen interest in pharmaceutical sciences research that include pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical technology and translational clinical sciences; biopharmaceutical science, drug synthesis and molecular modeling.

From the pharmaceutics group, the professional pharmacy students are given opportunity to choose a primary research topic of interest among pharmaceutics/manufacturing science/engineering and translational research projects. The students are then guided though data mining and presentation of research topics fostered via bi‐weekly research meetings. Some of our research projects include the following: manufacturing and drug delivery, pharmacokinetic simulation of pediatric oral anti‐retroviral drug products, phytochemistry and translational clinical science research. Students will start their wet lab research in our Spring Term, starting March to work on ophthalmic drug delivery that will include extensive material characterization as a means of optimizing corneal contact time.

The translational research involves a contract research organization for the upcoming Phase II/III clinical trials of the pediatric ARV products. Using the Phase I data that involved healthy adults, pharmacokinetic simulation software would be applied in teaching students how the fundamental properties of drug, drug‐in‐dosage‐forms and drug‐in‐physiologic systems could be integrated in predicting therapeutic outcomes in normal physiologic and disease states. It will be particularly useful in simulating pediatric and geriatric pharmacokinetic parameters from data obtained in average adult population as well as in correlating data from in vitro studies employing simulated physiologic solutions with in vivo data. The goal is to ultimately compare the data to the pharmacokinetic profiles that will be obtained in Phases II/III trials. Our students will also have opportunity in the summer for international study abroad that will include translation clinical trial research and other community health education projects. A phytochemistry research focus group that includes international partnership was formed in September 2011. The synergy was created between the College of Pharmacy pharmaceutical sciences and the Chemistry/Biology department faculty colleagues. Natural products are being investigated for their cytotoxicity, anti‐microbial and neuro‐pharmacological activities and effects. The multi‐disciplinary research will involve cell culture, NMR elucidation of suspected active ingredients, pharmacological testing and pharmaceutical development. The plan is to translate the research into dosage form development and evaluation.