Nanotechnology and Drug Delivery Innovations in Lung Cancer Treatment

Parteek Prasher, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, holds a research experience of 8 years in medicinal chemistry and biomaterials, while working in the field of anti-inflammatory and anticancer chemotherapy. The research team led by Dr. Prasher focuses on the development of rationally designed molecules for targeting various disorders, including inflammation, cancer, and antimicrobial MDR, which also includes the Identification of novel pharmacophores, chemical moieties and APIs for developing the potential chemotherapeutics. With several national/ international collaborations, Dr. Prasher has published more than 100 peer reviewed publications in the journals of repute. Dr. Prasher has been a recipient of the prestigious Junior/ Senior Research Fellowship by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India (2012-2015). He received ‘Lectureship’ award by the Government of India (2012). He is also a recipient of the Teachers Associateship for Research Fellowship (TARE) and research grant by the Science and Engineering research Board of the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India for 3 years, Dec. 2021 to Dec. 2024. Dr. Prasher serves as the Associate Editor of the journal Frontiers in Drug Delivery.

Mousmee Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Uttaranchal University, has research experience of more than 5 years in Physical Chemistry and Biomaterials, while working in the field of biomembranes. The recent research work of Dr. Mousmee is focused on the development of mucoadhesive materials for drug delivery across the physiological mucus barrier. Dr. Mousmee has published 50 research/ review articles and 20 book chapters in the journals of high repute. A ‘Gold Medalist’ in her post-graduation, Dr. Mousmee recently received “Recognized reviewer” status by Elsevier and ‘Brand Ambassador’ for the ‘Bentham Science Publishers’ for the year 2021.

Indu Pal Kaur is presently the Professor and Chairperson, at the University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. She was Director Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility, Panjab University, from 2012 to 2015 and Dean - Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, for 2017-18. She is Secretary, Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Punjab Branch since 2017. She has been named amongst the top 2% most cited scientists across the globe as per Stanford University, USA (2020). Her research forte is enhancing bioperformance of drugs, plant extracts/phytochemicals and small/large biomolecules viz. siRNA and probiotics using active-tailored delivery systems like solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nano vesicles, nano emulgel, beads, lipid nanostructured herbal scaffolds and dressings. Apart from this, her group has worked extensively on novel platform technologies (SLNs, nanovesicles and Cyclodextrine complexes) to overcome challenges in ocular delivery of molecules like atorvastatin, bimatoprost, acetazolamide, ketoconazole, fluconazole, amphotericin B, timolol and natamycin. She has been granted 9 Indian and one US patents and has filed 19 patents in the past 10 years. She has produced one Post-doctorate, 25 PhDs and 55 postgraduates and has received funding of approximately 100 million INR from Government agencies and Industrial consultancies. She is a US-Fulbright fellow (2017-18) and was awarded Women Scientist Award -2018 by Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI). She has delivered 50 Invited Talks, published > 145 high impact International publications. Her research work has funded twice (2017 and 2020) by DST and Science and Technology Facilities Council, ISIS, UK for SANS characterization at ISIS facility – Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK. She has also been graced with BRIC Technology Exposition Award, consecutively for two years i.e. 2019 and 2020 and Researcher of the Year award 2019, by Sunpure Research Incubation center, both for her research work contribution on solid lipid nanoparticles of curcumin. Her research work has also been honored with Edward Keenedy Memorial Award, 2019 and Mekaster Young Scientist Award, 2018. Emphasis of her work lies on Industrial and clinical translation and is reflected through her 4 technologies transfers to 3 Indian industries.

Ronan MacLoughlin is currently Associate Director of R&D, Science and Emerging Technologies in Aerogen Limited. Dr MacLoughlin has more than 20 years’ experience in Respiratory Drug Delivery with several nebuliser, and accessory product launches over that time. He has responsibility for new product development, establishing and exploiting the science underpinning respiratory drug delivery and identifying new and potentially disruptive emerging technologies. To this end, he has developed multiple technologies and products with several patents granted and pending, that cover the range of drug, device, drug/device combination products, patient interventions and patient interfaces. Dr MacLoughlin currently serves as chair of the Industry Representative Group in CURAM, the Science Foundation Ireland center for the development of the next generation of smart medical devices, and sits on the board, (previously chair) of the Medical and Engineering Technologies Center (MET), the Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway. Additionally, he is currently chair of the Paediatric and Cystic Fibrosis working group within the International Society for Aerosols in Medicine (ISAM). Finally, Dr MacLoughlin holds the position of adjunct Associate Professor in Trinity College Dublin (School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), and Senior Honorary lecturer in the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland (School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences).

Raimar Löbenberg holds a BSc in pharmacy from the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz, Germany. He received his PhD in pharmaceutics from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University in Frankfurt in 1996. He joined the University of Alberta in 2000. His research interests are in Biopharmaceutics to predict the oral performance of drugs and botanicals and inhalable nanoparticles to treat lung diseases like cancer or tuberculosis. He is founder and director of the Drug Development and Innovation Centre at the University of Alberta. He was president of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014 & 2015. He is member of the United States Pharmacopeia Dietary Supplement Expert Committee. He is Vice Chair of the Specialty Committee of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Pharmaceutics of the World Foundation of Chinese Medicine Science. He is member of the Health Canada Scientific Advisory Committee on Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Pharmacology.

Neal M. Davies received his undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from the University of Alberta in 1991. In 1996, he completed his Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences, specializing in pharmacokinetics, at the University of Alberta. From 1995 to 1998, he undertook postdoctoral training in pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Calgary. He then joined the University of Sydney as a lecturer in 1998. In 2002, he returned to North America to join the Washington State University’s (WSU) College of Pharmacy as an academic staff member, where he has held the positions of Director of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, as well as Director of Professional and Undergraduate Research and Director of Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program. He has been active on numerous university-wide committees, including service as a member of WSU’s Faculty Senate and Chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committe. From 2011-2016 he was Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba. Under his direction he has been involved in several administrative and operational initiatives including: strategic planning, faculty accreditation review processes; and development of a first professional degree in Pharmacy (PharmD) program. He played key roles in faculty and graduate student recruitment and success and development of Pharmaceutical Analysis Laboratory (PAL). Throughout his career, Dr. Davies has strived to maintain the highest standard of teaching and research, and his achievements in both areas have been recognized through numerous awards and honours including several from the United States Pharmacopeia and the Canadian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and has an ongoing and significant commitment toward graduate supervision and training. He has been at the forefront of the use of technology in the classroom, has re-engineered curricular content and maintained a high standard in student mentoring. Dr. Davies also maintains an active and highly collaborative externally-funded research program, focused on pharmacokinetics and drug delivery as well as basic and clinical pharmaceutical sciences which have attracted National Institutes of Health and Industry funds. He holds five patent applications and has disseminated his work broadly through numerous journal publications, a book and book chapters, abstracts, and invited conference presentations. He has ~8000 citations and an H-index >50. Dr. Davies has been a registered pharmacist with the Alberta College of Pharmacists since 1991. He is active in numerous professional organizations/associations, including the Canadian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, and serves as a reviewer and on the editorial board of several pharmaceutical and pharmacological science journals. Over the past decade Dr. Davies has also been heavily involved in pharmacy education research including curriculum mapping, interprofessional education, online teaching, and implementing expanded scopes of practice programs. On September 1, 2016 Dr. Davies commenced his term as Dean and Professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta.

Kamal Dua, Associate Profesor, Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), has a research experience of over 12 years working in the field of drug delivery targeting inflammatory diseases. Dr Dua is also a Node Leader of Drug Delivery Research in the Centre for Inflammation at Centenary Institute/UTS, where the targets identified from the research projects are pursued to develop novel formulations as the first step towards translation into clinics. Dr Dua researches in two complementary areas; drug delivery and immunology, specifically addressing how these disciplines can advance one another helping the community to live longer and healthier. This is evidenced by his extensive publication record in reputed journals. Dr Dua’s research interests focus on harnessing the pharmaceutical potential of modulating critical regulators such as Interleukins and microRNAs and developing new and effective drug delivery formulations for the management of inflammation in chronic airway diseases and cancer.