Pharmaceutical Materials Science emerged as the systematic study of the physicochemical properties and the behavior of materials of pharmaceutical interest (MPIs) in relation to product performance, MPIs comprising drugs and non-pharmacologically active pharmaceutical excipients. In this framework, the thorough study of the relationship between the structure and the properties of drugs, excipients and their combinations has become a pillar of the rational development of pharmaceutical products.I am interested in the investigation of novel biomaterials-based strategies to optimize the treatment of disease from the isolation, processing and characterization of pure drugs and the design, production and characterization of polymeric micro and nanocarriers to the evaluation of the performance in relevant in vitro (cell), ex vivo (animal tissue) and in vivo (animal) models. This perspective is articulated and consolidated by the establishment of strategic intra and extramural scientific collaborations. The deep understanding of the relationship between micro/nanostructure, properties and processing methods is a fundamental goal of our research.
The main research interests are the following:
- Polymer and macromolecular chemistry
- Biomaterials science
- Microwave-assisted polymer synthesis
- Drug crystallization and nanocrystals
- Hybrid polymer-ceramic nanobiomaterials
- Colloidal chemistry (drug and polymer self-assembly)
- Nanomedicine (drug encapsulation, release and targeting)
- Therapy of poverty-related diseases (HIV, tuberculosis), cancer, intestinal diseases
- Cell culture
- Pharmacokinetics (oral, inhalatory and intranasal administration routes)