Pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical technology

Preformulation studies, design and development of innovative delivery systems for medical, biomedical, cosmeceutical and nutraceutical applications and related pharmaco-toxicological analyses.

Research topics:

  • Drug/biomembranes and drug/proteins interactions.
  • Biodegradable microparticles for the sustained release of low molecular weight and biotech drugs.
  • Tailored polymeric and lipid nanoparticles for tissue/cell targeting.
  • Advanced formulations for lung delivery.
  • Engineered polymer platforms for mucosal delivery of bioactive molecules.
  • Hydrogels as drug release matrices and scaffolds for tissue engineering.
  • Rheological and transport properties of biomaterials.
  • Identification and quantitation of xenobiotic in complex matrices.
  • Synthesis and characterization of prodrugs, provitamines and enzyme-activated cosmeceutics.
  • Innovative cosmetic formulations for transdermal delivery.

Research groups:

  • (Pharm-Analysis & Bio-Pharm) Biochromatography; drug-biomembranes and drug-protein interaction studies; kinetic studies; development and quality assurance of drug formulations.
  • (BioNanoMed) Delivery and targeting of drugs and bioactive compounds by using innovative formulations based on lipidic nanosystems (liposomes, ethosomes, transferosomes), polymers, hydrogels and polymeric films.
  • (DelTech) Design of controlled-release formulations using biodegradable micro-, nano-carriers for the delivery of small molecules, proteins, oligonucleotides and DNA. Design of tumor-homing nanoparticles.
  • (Cosmeceutica) Synthesis and characterization of prodrugs, provitamins and topic drugs. Studies of transdermal drug delivery in vitro with Franz's cells. Innovative formulations for cosmetics and drugs application on the skin with biocompatible materials.
  • (PRODRUGS) The research activity is focused on the design and synthesis of new NSAID's prodrugs in order to decrease the gastro-intestinal toxicity, while maintaining the pharmacological activity. When possible,  in order to reduce pollutants and improve the yields, the synthesis of these prodrugs is carried out according to the principles of green chemistry.

Partecipants:

  • Francesco Barbato
  • Marco Biondi
  • Giuseppe De Rosa
  • Lucia Grumetto
  • Sonia Laneri
  • Laura Mayol
  • Agnese Miro
  • Fabiana Quaglia
  • Maria Grazia Rimoli
  • Antonia Sacchi
  • Francesca Ungaro