Pharmaceutical Drug Design, Formulation, Testing, and Use

Abstract

This compilation of my research has been organised into nine different sections based on the sub-themes on my research into medicines. Section one deals principally with my research and impact into the examination of the interactions of multinuclear platinum-based chemotherapy drugs with their cellular target, DNA. Section two covers the design and synthesis of new drugs including multinuclear platinum drugs and a new drug class of platinum drugs based on phenanthroline. Section three details my investigation of macrocycles as potential delivery vehicles for drugs; in particular, the delivery applications of a family of macrocycles called cucurbit[n]urils, but also includes my research with n-cyclodextrins, calix[n]arenes, and pillar[n]arenes. Section four expands on the cucurbit[n]uril research describing my work on designing and developing cucurbit[n]uril-based pharmaceutical dosage formulations. Section five contains my research into the application of various nanoparticles as delivery systems for platinum-based drugs, including: dendrimer-polymer nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles based on gold and iron oxide, carbon nanotubes, and DNA aptamers. Section six provides my published research on the clinical use of platinum drugs including an examination of the recommendations provided to clinicians and the extent to which platinum drugs continue to be used to treat human cancers. Section seven describes my research into the testing of pharmaceutical formulations and my published papers on the development of undergraduate classes for making and testing pharmaceutical formulations. Section eight is a collation of my published book chapters and review papers highlighting how these have made an impact in the area of medicines, and section nine provides details on my international patents for drug delivery inventions.