Personal statement
Chancellor's Fellow and Lecturer
My field of expertise lies in the characterization of biologics and nanomedicine formulation attributes and in vivo performance using traditional and novel analytical approaches.
Areas of interest are summarized as follows;
- Understanding environmental and physicochemical determinants of solution-phase formulation stability.
- Determining key critical quality attributes in particle design to inform optimal in vivo performance.
- Evaluation of nanomedicine interaction with biological media, and the mechanism of cellular uptake in two- and three-dimensional cellular models.
- Applying novel imaging modalities for evaluating drug and nanoparticle biodistribution, and impact on tumor response.
- The interplay between the tumour microenvironment and nanomedicine in vivo performance with a view to developing biorelevant in vitro tests.
I am passionate about improving access to education, achievement and realizing potential for young budding scientists and am open to local STEM and healthcare-related widening participation initiatives. I am co-director (Pharmacy) with Dr Margaret Cunningham (Biomedical Sciences) for outreach in the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences.
Professional activities
- Nanotechnology: a blessing or a curse for developing nations?
- Interviewee
- 1/8/2019
- Science @ Strathclyde - SIPBS: Virtual Drug Discovery Workshop
- Advisor
- 11/6/2019
- Senior Phase Induction Day @ Strathclyde: SIPBS Virtual Drug Discovery Workshop
- Advisor
- 6/6/2019
- Health Week @ Garrowhill Primary School: Diabetes and Asthma Workshops
- Advisor
- 31/5/2019
- Day of Science @ Strathclyde - SIPBS: Cat Allergy Simulation and STEM activity stands
- Advisor
- 9/5/2019
- Integrative Technologies in Precision Medicine
- Contributor
- 25/3/2019
more professional activities
Projects
- Doctoral Training Partnership 2018-19 University of Strathclyde | Obiora, Chukwuebuka Richard
- Rattray, Zahra (Principal Investigator) Drummond, Robert (Co-investigator) Obiora, Chukwuebuka Richard (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2019 - 01-Jan-2023
- Nanomedicine-protein interactions: Understanding protein corona composition effects on nanomedicine cellular uptake
- Rattray, Zahra (Principal Investigator) Seib, Philipp (Academic)
- From bench to clinic, a new drug candidate will face multiple roadblocks and challenges in its development. In oncology drug development, a balance has to be met between achieving tumour bioavailability and potential off-target organ toxicity- Nanomedicines have emerged as a promising solution to overcoming such challenges.
When administered intravenously, a nanomedicine will be exposed to various biomolecules in blood. Some of these molecules will adsorb onto the nanomedicine surface, forming a ‘corona’, altering its chemical identity and biological fate. Corona composition is unique to nanomedicine type and characteristics, and has been linked to the success of tumour drug delivery.
We are looking for applicants to join our exciting project that will seek to understand nanomedicine characteristics that are key to impacting the biological fate of nanoparticles using a systematic approach. The successful candidate will apply cutting-edge technologies for characterizing nanomedicine characteristics, study protein corona composition in biological media, impact on subsequent cellular uptake, and develop novel biochemical assays that will aid the prediction of nanomedicine biological fate. This PhD project will be highly-suited to candidates from a pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, or engineering background who are keen to develop skills in analytical chemistry, molecular biology and cell culture. - 01-Jan-2019 - 01-Jan-2023
- Silencing KPNA2: A Druggable Target for Breast Cancer?
- Rattray, Zahra (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2019 - 31-Jan-2020
- Silencing KPNA2: A Druggable Target Against Breast Cancer?
- Rattray, Zahra (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2019 - 31-Jan-2020
more projects
Address
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
Robertson Wing
Robertson Wing
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