Professor John Smart, Head of School
This group's research interests are in drug delivery using bioadhesive materials, specifically hydrophilic macromolecules and lectins; the multifunctional properties of these materials being of particular interest. Target sites investigated within the body include the eye, mouth, oesophagus, stomach and colon.
The adsorption of polymers from solution, a specialized form of bioadhesion, and the retention of gels and viscous solutions on mucosal surfaces are of particular interest.
Currently the group is working in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline, investigating bioadhesive polymers for the delivery of antimicrobial agents to the oral cavity. Academic staff associated with this work are John Smart, Matt Ingram and Lara Barnes.
Recent publications
Smart J.D., Buccal drug delivery. Expert Opinion in drug delivery 2(3) (2005) 507-517.
Smart, J.D. The basics and underlying mechanisms of mucoadhesion. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 2005 57 1556-1568.
Moss, GP, Gullick DR, Cox PA, Alexander C, Ingram MJ, Smart JD and Pugh WJ. Design, synthesis and characterisation of captopril prodrugs for enhanced percutaneous absorption. . J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 58 (2006) 167 – 177.
Roldo, M, Barbu, E, Bronw, JF, Laigh DW, Smart, JD. Tsibouklis, J. Orally ad ministered colon specific mucoadhesive azopolymer particles for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: An in-vivo study. J. Biomed. Mat. Res. 2006, 706-715.
Keegan G, Smart JD, , Ingram M, Barnes L, Rees G, Burnett G. An in vitro assessment of bioadhesive zinc/carbomer complexes for antimicrobial therapy within the oral cavity. Int. J. Pharm. 340 (2007) 92-96.
Recent studentships
Gemma Keegan, BBSRC CASE award with GlaxoSmithKline, 2002 – 2006, entitled ‘Antimicrobial bioadesive polymer complexes for the oral cavity.’
Recent conference presentations.
Smart JD, invited talk on ‘Bioadhesive drug delivery’ at the Controlled Release Society session at the British Pharmaceutical Conference. Manchester 2006.
Smart JD, invited talk on ‘Buccal drug delivery’, Controlled Release Society Congress, Vienna, July 2006.
