Chemical & process engineering Health and wellbeing

Predicting solubility of complex pharmaceutical molecules is essential to optimise drug manufacture and to better identify promising new compounds. Our group is using molecular simulation to predict how drug molecules dissolve in different solvents, aiming to replace current regression-based methods by more physically-based (and hence more predictive) approaches.

The design of highly immunogenic immunogens for the development of monoclonal antibodies: this current PhD project is part of the IBioIC CTP funded by the BBSRC. We're modeling how peptides adsorb to nanoparticle adjuvants to promote the production of antibodies that have potential use in anti-cancer therapies.

I'm working on the investigation of laser-induced nucleation with application to crystallisation in the continuous manufacturing of pharmaceutical compounds. In situ monitoring of crystallisation by static and dynamic light scattering. 

I’m looking at the manipulation of pharmaceutical crystallization to enhance purity, to increase yield and reduce processing time using ultrasound. An ongoing collaboration with Alconbury Weston Ltd has facilitated the development of the first integrated continuous pharmaceutical filtration washing and drying system.

The polymorphic form of pharmaceutical compounds affects important manufacturing properties such as solubility. My group uses molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how interfaces, such as equipment and vessel surfaces, or nucleants, affect the nucleation and polymorphic form of pharmaceutical compounds.

We develop experimental workflows for product and process development of particulate systems for pharmaceutical applications to obtain better control of critical quality attributes in medicines manufacturing.

I'm interested in dewatering of solid-liquid suspensions.  The ability to reduce water footprints by dewatering wastewater suspensions facilitates the extraction of clean water from waste, thereby permitting water recycling. Recovery and distribution of clean, recycled water can promote health and wellbeing in water-stressed and/or water-scarce regions.

We work with global pharmaceutical companies in a pre-competitive environment to develop novel and more efficient medicine manufacturing processes within a quality by digital design framework.

My research interests cover the areas of water treatment & reclamation, waste management and soil pollution. Also, in collaboration with colleagues from Europe and Asia we study nanoparticles-assisted thermal ablation for generation of localised heat and temperature distribution enhancement. The research involves advanced temperature sensing and monitoring the aim being the improvement of thermal ablation as an alternative to survey for cancer treatment.