Dr Dipak K Sarker

Dipak Sarker is best defined as a physicist and material scientist with an interest in processing, manufacturing and fabrication of novel and commercial products. He developed this interests from his studies in chemistry, engineering and physics and large company employment experience, with manufacturing being the common link through much of his teaching, research, consultancy and fundamental scientific interests. At the heart of his work is a profound interest in nanotechnology, nanomaterials and the nano-scale. He works alongside designers, process specialists, formulators and theoreticians to achieve the desired research outcome, or profile of concept and commercial products and routes to manufacture. In an academic context, he works routinely with chemists, chemical engineers, clinicians, biologists, pharmacists, engineers and physicists but also in terms of commercial activity alongside business advisors and legal experts.

He sits on a number of scientific journal editorial boards, acts as a reviewer for about 20 scientific periodicals and 3-4 funding bodies, has written many scientific articles, presented his work internationally and nationally and written several books and a number of book chapters. At any point in time he has a number of visiting scientists, post-docs and doctoral researchers under his supervision and is the academic lead in a number of collaborative industrial projects.

How I like to teach

I am an academic at the University of Brighton having previously work at the ÉNS in Paris, INRA in France, The Max-Plank Institute in Berlin and the University of East Anglia. I have expertise in subjects ranging from industrial engineering to cell biophysics and on to methods of chemical analysis. I teach aspects of industrial manufacture, physics, physical chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical technology, analytical chemistry, medicine formulation, radiochemistry, mathematics and statistics, biotechnology, quality control, drug product regulation and product licensing.

I try to engage students by making my lectures interactive, animated and frequently make use of models, props and demonstrations. I think my students think they learn best when they are shown how to access the best information and are taught the study skills needed to achieve this. I expect all students to do their best and use both natural and acquired skills to find the best route to solve a problem. I use blended learning, tutorials and seminars, flipped learning, modern educational psychology, innovative pedagogic practices, diverse media and published material, current educational and research information and real-world examples to populate my teaching, demonstrate principles, and serve as a bank of resources for students and my enabling my research. I think I am a masterly teacher as I am thorough and rigorous with high expectations, yet make students learn for themselves to empower themselves to be successful in their learning.

I am a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and that means I have demonstrated a depth of skill and innovative practices in educating students. I have also taught and examined across countries and institutions and at all levels from batchelor’s to doctoral level.

My research interests

I have a longstanding interest in nanoscience, nanotechnology and nanophysics, soft-matter self-assemblies and coarse dispersions, including colloidal drug delivery systems and the surface adsorption of functionalising polymers. I study vaccine and particulate drug delivery systems in considerable depth. I work routinely with biosurfactants (such as proteins and peptides or gums), natural polymers, sustainable materials and synthetically modified materials.

I am interested in recycling and re-exploitation of spent and soiled or spent materials or polluted environments. I work with simple and complex foams and thin liquid films (foam lamellae). These structures relate to the quasi-2D-architectures created for a range of purposes; as means of sensing, synthesis and in their own right, to study processes such as statistical mechanics and energetics. As a nanotechnologist I also work in the field of miniaturised analytical systems – microfluidics, microarrays, sensors, diagnostic systems, and biosensors. I work in the context of product and process design and investigations associated with engineering and manufacturing process modelling. I work with the mechanics and rheology of a range of materials.

I am interested in 'invention' and equipment fabrication and design. I am fascinated by physical and engineering applications of mesophase materials (liquid crystals), coarse and colloidal dispersions, and complex fluids, such as ionic liquids, thermotropic materials, gels and emulsions.

Research activity

Current research projects:

Nicotine replacement therapy and drug delivery systems
Flexographic printing and photo-reactive polymers
Recycling and re-assignment of waste absorbent cotton materials
Physics of droplet impact, spreading and wetting
Nanoparticle and polymer drug delivery systems
Drug stability and formulation
Photo-dynamic nanoparticle therapy for cancer treatment
Pharmaceutical, medical and food packaging
Food science and food process technology
Status indicating medical device materials
Surfactant and detergent cleaning systems
Environmentally responsive encapsulated metal nanoparticles for sensor use
Complex fluids, ionic liquids and liquid crystals
Cryogels and composite insulating materials
Methods of assessment and evaluation in the sciences
Chemistry and physics educational tools

Previous research projects:

Enhancement of solubility in solid dispersions of drugs
Surface functionalisation of latex nanobeads
Plasma treatment of plastics for surface functionalisation
Flax and hemp materials and their non-food use
Nanomaterials in composite polymer materials
Microemulsions for drug delivery
Applications of coarse dispersions and complex fluids
Thin liquid films and foams
Wetting transitions and thin liquid films
Surface adsorption of polymers and proteins
Characterisation and identification of food authenticity
Theological systems for the study of surface adsorbed materials
Liposomal encapsulation of solids and therapeutics
Food gel and dispersion characterisation
Food preservation chemistry and processing
Silver catalysts for disinfection and catalysis
Foam films as models of cell membranes
Droplet spreading mechanisms
Food antioxidants and polyphenol chemistry
Formulation of curcumin and insect protein
Carbon nanomaterials and fluorescence applications
Micelles in reactors for metal recovery
Encapsulation of cytotoxic drugs in micelles and emulsions
Learning methodologies in chemistry
Miniature and developmental analytical systems

Research Centres and Groups

Social media

ResearchGate

ORCHID

Brighton and Sussex Universities Food Network

Contact me

Dr Dipak Sarker
Principal Lecturer in Pharmaceutics
Assistant Course Leader MPharm Programme

School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
University of Brighton
Cockcroft Building (Office: C331)
Moulsecoomb Science Campus
Lewes Road
Brighton
BN2 4GJ, UK

Tel (Office) - +44 (0) 1273 641779
Fax - +44 (0) 1273 642674

Email: D.K.Sarker@brighton.ac.uk

Biography

I started off my academic life as a chemist and chemical engineer and engineer, before completing a PhD in physics in 1995. After several years of post-doctoral and lecturing work at universities and research institutes in France and Germany I took up a position in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of Brighton. My academic activities at Brighton cover aspects of pharmaceutical formulation and processing, physics, physical chemistry, chemical and pharmaceutical analysis and specifically areas of polymer, surface and colloid science expertise (nanotechnology) developed during doctoral and post-doctoral training. After graduation and during post-doctoral work I worked for the Swiss pharmaceutical company, Hoffman-La Roche as a chemist and the renowned pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline as a validation and quality assurance expert.

Research output

Number of items: 47.

Sarker, Dipak (2018) Architectures and Mechanical Properties of Drugs and Complexes of Surface-Active Compounds at Air-Water and Oil-Water Interfaces Current Drug Discovery Technologies, 14. ISSN 1570-1638

Boscariol, Cristina, Sarker, Dipak, Kang, Boseon, Crua, Cyril and Marengo, Marco (2017) Drop Impact onto a Metallic Porous Layer: Effect of Liquid Viscosity and Air Entrapment In: ILASS–Europe 2017, 28th Conference on Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems, 6-8 September 2017, Valencia, Spain.

Sarker, Dipak (2017) Strange but true: the physics of glass, gels and jellies is all related through rheology The School Science Review, 99 (366). pp. 102-113. ISSN 0036-6811

Dichello, Gennaro, Pannala, Ananth, Fukuda, T., Maekawa, T., Whitby, Raymond, Mikhalovsky, Sergey, Alavijeh, M. and Sarker, Dipak (2017) Preparation of liposomes containing small gold nanoparticles using electrostatic interactions European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 105. pp. 55-63. ISSN 0928-0987

Sarker, Dipak (2017) Encapsulation of lethal, functional and therapeutic medicinal nanoparticles and quantum dots for the improved diagnosis and treatment of infection In: Grumezescu, A. and Ficai, A., eds. Nanostructures in Therapeutic Medicine, Volume 2: Nanostructures for Antimicrobial Therapy. Elsevier, UK, pp. 272-313. ISBN 9780323461528

Boscariol, Cristina, Sarker, Dipak, Crua, Cyril and Marengo, Marco (2016) Drop impact onto a metallic porous layer: scale effects In: ILASS – Europe 2016, 27th Annual Conference on Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems, Brighton, UK, 4-7 September 2016.

Kothur, Raghu R., Fucassi, F., Dichello, Gennaro, Doudet, Ludovic, Abdalaziz, Wafa, Patel, Bhavik, Cave, Gareth W.V., Gass, Ian A., Sarker, Dipak, Mikhalovsky, Sergey and Cragg, Peter (2015) Synthesis and applications of co-pillar[5]arene dithiols Supramolecular Chemistry, 28 (5-6). pp. 436-443. ISSN 1061-0278

Sarker, Dipak (2013) Pharmaceutical Emulsions: A Drug Developer's Toolbag Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, UK. ISBN 9780470976838

Sarker, Dipak (2013) The physics of foams, droplets and bubbles The School Science Review, 350. pp. 45-52. ISSN 0036-6811

Sarker, Dipak (2013) Pharmaceutical emulsions: a drug developer's toolbag [Edited Collections]

Loukanov, Alexandre, Genov, Krassimir, Bratkova, Svetlana, Angelov, Anatoliy and Sarker, Dipak (2012) Aluminium silicate (clinoptilite, perlite and bentonite) modified with silver as catalyst and antibacterial agent Annals of Constantin Brancusi, 3. pp. 345-355. ISSN 1842-4856

Sarker, Dipak (2012) Ground-breaking changes in mimetic and novel nano-structured composite design for intelligent, adaptive and responsive drug delivery therapies In: Ashutosh, Tiwari, ed. Biomedical materials and diagnostic devices. Scrivener Publishing, USA, pp. 395-434. ISBN 9781118030141

Sarker, Dipak (2012) Poster versus ‘PowerPoint’, paper versus thesis: Comparative studies based on the form of viva voce examination, which accompanies presentation of a formatted ‘manuscript-type’ thesis and its impact on M-level (level-7) and level-6 pharmacy and chemistry students, respectively In: Transitions quality, adaptability and sustainability in times of change: Learning and Teaching Conference 2011, University of Brighton, 2011.

Boevski, I., Genov, K., Boevska, N., Milenova, K., Batakliev, T., Georgiev, V., Nikolov, P. and Sarker, Dipak (2011) Low temperature ozone decomposition on Cu2+, Zn2+, and Mn2+-exchanged clinoptilolite Proceeding of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 64 (1). pp. 33-38. ISSN 1310-1331

Genov, K., Boevska, N., Boevski, I. and Sarker, Dipak (2011) Some characterization of silver-loaded Bulgarian perlite for use as catalyst in oxidation reactions Proceeding of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 64 (4). pp. 509-514. ISSN 1310-1331

Nikolov, Penko, Genov, Krassimir, Konova, Petya, Milenova, Katya, Batakliev, Todor, Georgiev, Vladimir, Kumar, Narendra, Sarker, Dipak, Pishev, Dimitar and Rakovsky, Slavcho (2010) Ozone decomposition on Ag/SiO2 and Ag/clinoptilolite catalysts at ambient temperature Journal of Hazardous Materials, 184 (1-3). pp. 16-19. ISSN 0304-3894

Sarker, Dipak (2010) Structural patterning used for polyfunctional devices in diagnostics and for the delivery of therapeutics Recent Patents on Materials Science, 3 (3). pp. 191-202. ISSN 1874-4648

Di Mattia, C.D., Sacchetti, G., Mastrocola, D., Sarker, Dipak and Pittia, P. (2010) Surface properties of phenolic compounds and their influence on the dispersion degree and oxidative stability of olive oil O/W emulsions Food Hydrocolloids, 24 (6-7). pp. 652-658. ISSN 0268-005X

Concannon, C., Hennelly, D.A., Noott, S. and Sarker, Dipak (2010) Nanoemulsion encapsulation and in vitro SLN models of delivery for cytotoxic methotrexate Current Drug Discovery Technologies, 7 (2). pp. 123-136. ISSN 1570-1638

Sarker, Dipak (2009) Sculpted amphiphilic liposomal particles for modifiable medicinal applications Current Drug Discovery Technologies, 6 (1). pp. 52-58. ISSN 1570-1638

Sarker, Dipak (2008) Introduction to nanoscience Reviews: a guide to publications in the physical sciences, 9 (2). pp. 14-16. ISSN 1756-9524

Collins, G.W., Patel, Avani, Dilley, Alan and Sarker, Dipak (2008) Molecular modeling directed by an interfacial test apparatus for the evaluation of protein and polymer ingredient function in situ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56 (10). pp. 3846-3855. ISSN 0021-8561

Sarker, Dipak (2008) Quality systems and control for pharmaceuticals John Wiley, Chichester, UK. ISBN 9780470056929

Sarker, Dipak (2008) The Practical Use and Contemporary Methodologies Required for the Evaluation of Foam and Emulsion Aqueous Thin Liquid Films In: Li, Songjun, ed. Current Focus on Colloids and Surfaces. Transworld Research Network, pp. 225-242. ISBN 9788178954387

Georgiev, G.A., Sarker, Dipak, Al-Hanbali, O., Georgiev, G.D. and Lalchev, Z. (2007) Effects of poly(ethylene glycol) chains conformational transition on the properties of DMPC/DMPE-PEG thin liquid films and monolayers. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 59 (2). pp. 184-193. ISSN 0927-7765

Valtcheva-Sarker, R.V., O'Reilly, J.D. and Sarker, Dipak (2007) Administration of drug and nutritional components in nano-engineered form to Increase delivery ratio and reduce current inefficient practice Recent Patents on Drug Delivery and Formation, 1 (2). pp. 147-159. ISSN 1872-2113

Al-Hanbali, O., Rutt, Ken, Sarker, Dipak, Hunter, A.C. and Moghimi, S.M. (2006) Concentration dependent structural ordering of Poloxamine 908 on polystyrene nanoparticles and their modulatory role on complement consumption Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 6 (9). pp. 3126-3133. ISSN 1533-4880

Sarker, Dipak (2006) Dermatological colloids: creams, lotions and shampoos Pharmaceutical Formulation & Quality, 8 (5). pp. 42-46.

Sarker, Dipak (2006) Synthesis and in vitro modeling and characterization of self-assembling drug conjugates for targeted medicinal application Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 6 (7). pp. 793-803. ISSN 1389-5575

Sarker, Dipak (2005) Engineering of nanoemulsions for drug delivery Current Drug Delivery, 2 (4). pp. 297-310. ISSN 1567-2018

Sarker, Dipak (2005) Sculpted nanoscale polymer films on micrometer bubbles Current Nanoscience, 1 (2). pp. 157-168. ISSN 1573-4137

Sarker, Dipak (2004) Microfabrication and new architectures in drug delivery Drug Discovery Today, 9 (2). pp. 93-97. ISSN 1359-6446

Sarker, Dipak (2004) Quality control, analytical validation and pharmacopoeial testing In: Future drug discovery 2004. Touch Group PLC, UK, pp. 38-41.

van der Valk, A.M., Howbrook, D.N., O'Shaughnessy, M.C., Sarker, Dipak, Baker, S.C., Louwrier, A. and Lloyd, Andrew (2003) Methods to quantify the biotin-binding capacity of streptavidin-coated polypropylene PCR plates Biotechnology Letters, 25 (16). pp. 1325-1328. ISSN 1573-6776

Howbrook, D.N., van der Valk, A.M., O'Shaughnessy, M.C., Sarker, Dipak, Baker, S.C. and Lloyd, Andrew (2003) Developments in microarray technologies Drug Disocvery Today, 8 (14). pp. 642-651. ISSN 1359-6446

Castelletto, V., Cantat, I., Sarker, Dipak, Bausch, R., Bonn, D. and Meunier, J. (2003) Stability of soap films: hysteresis and nucleation of black films Physical Review Letters, 90 (4). 0483021-0483024. ISSN 1079-7114

Howbrook, D.N., Sarker, Dipak, Lloyd, Andrew and Louwrier, A. (2002) Applications of radio frequency cold plasma treatment of polypropylene PCR plates Biotechnology Letters, 24 (24). pp. 2071-2074. ISSN 1573-6776

Rafai, S., Sarker, Dipak, Bergeron, V., Meunier, J. and Bonn, D. (2002) Superspreading: aqueous surfactant drops spreading on hydrophobic surfaces Langmuir, 18 (26). pp. 10486-10488. ISSN 0743-7463

Sarker, Dipak and Wilde, Peter J. (1999) Restoration of protein foam stability through electrostatic propylene glycol alginate-mediated protein–protein interactions Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 15 (3-4). pp. 203-213. ISSN 0927-7765

Sarker, Dipak, Axelos, Monique and Popineau, Yves (1999) Methylcellulose-induced stability changes in protein-based emulsions Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 12 (3-6). pp. 147-160. ISSN 0927-7765

Sarker, Dipak, Wilde, Peter J. and Clark, David C. (1998) Enhancement of protein foam stability by formation of wheat arabinoxylan-protein crosslinks Cereal Chemistry, 75 (4). pp. 493-499. ISSN 0009-0352

Sarker, Dipak, Bertrand, Dominique, Chtioui, Younes and Popineau, Yves (1998) Characterisation of foam properties using image analysis Journal of Texture Studies, 29 (1). pp. 15-42. ISSN 0022-4901

Sarker, Dipak, Wilde, Peter J. and Clark, David C. (1996) Enhancement of the stability of protein-based food foams using trivalent cations Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 114. pp. 227-236. ISSN 0927-7757

Wustneck, R., Kragel, J., Miller, R., Fainerman, V.B., Wilde, Peter J., Sarker, Dipak and Clark, David C. (1996) Dynamic surface tension and adsorption properties of β-casein and β-lactoglobulin Food Hydrocolloids, 10 (4). pp. 395-405. ISSN 0268-005X

Sarker, Dipak (1995) Stabilisation of protein adsorbed layers in foams and emulsions by crosslinking In: Third UK Colloid & Surface Science Student Meeting, The Lawns, University of Hull, 1995.

Sarker, Dipak, Wilde, Peter J. and Clark, David C. (1995) Control of Surfactant-Induced Destabilization of Foams through Polyphenol-Mediated Protein-Protein Interactions Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 43 (2). pp. 295-300. ISSN 0021-8561

Sarker, Dipak, Wilde, Peter J. and Clark, David C. (1995) Competitive adsorption of l-α-lysophosphatidylcholine/β-lactoglobulin mixtures at the interfaces of foams and foam lamellae Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 3 (6). pp. 349-256. ISSN 0927-7765

This list was generated on Tue Apr 24 09:56:59 2018 BST.

Full Books

Sarker, D.K (2008) Quality Systems and Controls for Pharmaceuticals, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester. pp. 1-182. ISBN 978-0-470-05692-9 (hb); 978-0-470-05693-6 (pb);

Sarker, Dipak (2013) Pharmaceutical Emulsions: A Drug Developer's Toolbag Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, UK. ISBN 9780470976838

Research Presentations

Howbrook et al. PCR Conference, London, January 2002
Sarker. British Pharmaceutical Conference, Manchester, September 2002
Naseem et al. British Pharmaceutical Conference, Manchester, September 2002
van der Valk et al. Biochips Conference, Birmingham, September 2003
Naseem et al. AAPS Conference, Salt Lake City, October 2003
van der Valk et al. QPCR Symposium, Munich, March 2004

Consultancy

Smpl Innovations GmbH (design organisation)
Graphic Supplies (UK) Ltd (commercial printing technology)
Cryocube (cryogenic storage of biological samples)
Medisort (sanitary product disposal and recycling)
ValetPro (car valeting products)
Biofrontera AG (micellar and colloidal drug delivery systems)
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing
Food Unwrapped, Channel 4 Television
Curcumin nanoparticle formulation. Dr Tu Duong & Vietnamese Academy of Sciences

PhD students


Name	Thesis
Gennaro Dichello (2012-present)	Targeting of brain tumours with photo-dynamic therapy using liposomes and encapsulated metal nanoparticles
Kais Shaban (2014-present)	Levothyroxine drug stability and formulation in fast-dissolving oral films
Shaimaa Shakargi (2014-present)	Synthesis and therapeutic use of environmentally-sensitive polymeric micelles for drug delivery
Cristina Boscariol (2015-present)	The physics of impacting droplets on model solid surfaces
Previous PhD student
Evgeniya Seliverstova (2014)	Energy transfer mechanisms and the photo-optical effects of fluorophore-conjugated graphene
Carla Di Mattia (2009)	Photo-oxidative changes in protein-stabilised olive oil emulsions
Georgi Georgiev (2008)	Phase transitions in striated foam films as models of cells membranes
Othman Al-Hanbali (2008)	A novel assay for block co-polymer non-ionic surfactants used in nanoparticle surface engineering
Atia Naseem (2003)	Approaches to enhancing the dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs

Roles

Memberships

Institute of Food Science and Technology
Royal Society of Chemistry, various subject groups
Institute of Nanotechnology
RPSGB, Academic Pharmacy Group
University of Brighton memberships – Academic Standards Committee, validation panelist, sustainable development representative
Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences Research Ethics Committee
Approved post-graduate supervisor register

Editorships

Section Editor: Current Drug Delivery Technologies
Associate Editor: Current Nanomedicine

Editorial boards

Recent Patents on Drug Delivery and Formulation
International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education
Open Colloid Science Journal
Advanced Materials Reviews
Advanced Materials Letters
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics
Inventi Rapid-Impact: Pharm Tech
Khimiya (Chemistry)
Journal of Modern Medicinal Chemistry
Journal of the Chinese Advanced Materials Society
Recent Patents on Engineering
ISRN Journal of Chemistry: Medicinal Chemistry
International Journal of Information System and Management Research

Reviewer

RSC Chem Comm, RSC Advances, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Soft Matter, Langmuir, DDT, Chemical Engineering Journal, Colloids and Surfaces, Macromolecules, Cancer Letters, European Biophysics Journal, Biophysical Chemistry, International Journal of Nanomedicine, Journal of Controlled Release, RSC Dalton Transactions, Chronicles of Pharmacy, RSC Journal of Materials Chemistry B, RSC Analytical Methods.

John Wiley (scientific books), etc.,

Research council reviewing

EPSRC: Physics/Applied Mathematics
BBSRC: Food, Engineering, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences
MRC: Therapeutics and Drug Delivery

Organising committees

Conference Committee - 2nd International Conference on Advanced Materials 2013 (China)
Organising committee: International Union of Advanced Materials - Academic Committee Member 2011, Hong Kong
Advisory board: Advanced Materials World Congress (AM 2013, organized by the International Association of Advanced Materials), Turkey, September 2013
International Advisory Board 2nd World Conference on Science and Mathematics Education , 15-17 Oct 2015, Cyprus

Awards

Sosabowski, M.H., Piatt, R., Sarker, D.K. (2003) “Young Chemists’ Learning Project,” University of Brighton Innovation Awards 2003 - Prize Winner, Business Services, University Brighton
Dipak K. Sarker, Featured chemist: RSC News Chemistry World, Feb 2005, p12
Chair of the Downland Section of RSC from (Sussex, Surrey, Hamphire, Kent) 2005-2008