Research and innovation in pharmacy and medical sciences
All our academic and research staff are involved in one of our six research and innovation groups and two research centres. Our research is closely linked with the research themes of the Faculty of Life Sciences and is part of the overarching University of Bradford research themes of Health and Care and The Engineered Environment.
Cardiovascular Research
Cardiovascular research in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences aims to understand the cellular and molecular processes underlying cardiovascular health and disease. Our research is closely aligned with the Cardiovascular Research Group, a cross-faculty research cluster.
Our researchers perform collaborative, interdisciplinary research into a range of conditions associated with the cardiovascular system, including atherosclerosis, cardiac and vascular fibrosis, arrhythmias, diabetes, and pulmonary hypertension. We specifically study the effects of cellular signalling pathways, angiogenesis, apoptosis, membrane biology, electrophysiology and epigenetic modulators on the functional responses of endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, platelets, as well as the pace maker cells of the heart. Our aim is to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in cardiovascular disease and cardioprotection, leading to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and lead compounds.
The cardiovascular research in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences provides an exciting research environment for graduate and post-graduate students and strategic partnerships with external companies for the benefit of patients with cardiovascular conditions.
Drug Discovery, Development and DMPK
The drug discovery and delivery laboratories are deep embedded in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences with a focus on developing medicine to treat diseases with unmet clinical need including cancer (Institute of Cancer Therapeutics). A broad range of chemical disciplines including computational chemistry, medicinal chemistry, structural biology, chemical biology, and synthetic biology are employed to ensure the latest techniques and strategies are utilised to deliver innovation in drug discovery and development. We also carry out research in drug delivery technologies, which is aimed at delivering drugs selectively and safely for patient use. We collaborate extensively with scientists in diverse disciplines both in academia and industry, who can draw on our world-class expertise in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) and well-resourced analytical centre, a set-up that critically also includes a GCP (good clinical practice) facility. Our interdisciplinary expertise, cutting-edge research and infrastructure means our students learn and develop in an environment ideal for making scientific advances in precision medicine discovery.
Education, Innovation, Research and Development
EIRD (Education, Innovation, Research and Development) is a Community of Practice that sits within the Faculty of Life Science’s Health, Society, People and Place theme and is part of the University’s institutional SOTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning)/PedR (Pedagogical Research) network.
The aim of EIRD is to promote the scholarship of learning and teaching and pedagogical research that supports high quality undergraduate and postgraduate education and practice. EIRD also aims to foster collaborative research and evaluation and share best practice across organisational and disciplinary boundaries.
SOTL is a practical and situated systematic enquiry into a particular context driven by a desire to improve teaching practice and student learning in a particular context. It often involves a self-reflection on how we teach and how students learn, it requires engagement with discipline specific and educational literature, and involves dissemination of outcomes for peer review and further development.
Our staff and postgraduate students research areas of interest include Professionalism and Professional identity, Peer-assisted learning, Development of academic/study skills, as well as Active and Collaborative learning, in particular Team-Based Learning and its use in forming professional identities, communities of practice, and its translation to schools, colleges and the workplace.
Medicines Optimisation
The Medicines Optimisation Research Group (MORG) is a multidisciplinary group of researchers which is part of the Faculty of Life Science’s Health, Society, People and Place theme. The focus of the research is on person-centred care with the aim of ensuring optimal medicines use, whilst also avoiding unnecessary and potentially harmful polypharmacy. The work of the group is structured around the four guiding principles of medicines optimisation (Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 2013):
- understand the patient's experience
- evidence-based choice of medicines
- ensure medicines use is as safe as possible
- making medicines optimisation part of routine practice
The members of MORG have backgrounds in pharmacy, health services research, supply chain management, social science and psychology, and have expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods, including experience-based co-design.
The group collaborates actively with researchers across the University of Bradford, including the Faculty of Health Studies, the Digital Health Enterprise Zone (DHEZ) and the Centre for Applied Dementia Studies. Externally, we have strong links with the University of Leeds, the Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, the Yorkshire Quality and Safety Research Group and NIHR Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, and we also work with several commercial partners involved in the delivery of medicines, and the design of health information. The ISCOMAT trial (Improving the Safety and Continuity of Medicines Management at Care Transitions) is an NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research led by and involving several members of the group.
Neuroscience
Neuroscience research in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences aims to understand the molecular, cellular and behavioural mechanisms in health and disease. Our neurobiological research is closely aligned with the Life Course - Cells to Systems in Health and Disease theme.
Neuroscience research in the school is performed in the areas of mechanisms of learning and memory as well as disease conditions such as Psychiatric disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, Motor neuron disease, and stroke. We perform research in molecular and cellular signalling pathways, post-translational modification, neurotransmitter receptor trafficking, protein degradation mechanisms, animal models and behavioural studies using cell lines, primary neurons and rodent models. The aim of neuroscience research in the school is to better understand the molecular and behavioural mechanisms involved in mental health disorders and neuroprotection, leading to the identification and characterisation of novel therapeutic targets to treat neurodegenerative diseases and mental health disorders.
The neuroscience research staff in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences participates in teaching across multiples programs and provides research opportunities for graduate and post-graduate students including visiting students and researchers. The group has multiple partnerships with external companies working on projects for the benefit of patients with neurological conditions.
Pharmaceutics Research
Pharmaceutics research in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences aims to develop novel pharmaceutical materials with improved physicochemical properties. These novel materials are used to design delivery systems to achieve improved drug therapy for patients. Our research is closely aligned with the Centre for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science, an interdisciplinary Research and Knowledge Transfer Centre and the faculty research theme Interface of Chemistry, Biology and Materials.
Our researchers perform collaborative, interdisciplinary research in the area of crystal and particle engineering, and the development of innovative products for application in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, personal care, and medical device sectors. The team also explores innovative green processing technologies including melt extrusion, microwave-assisted processing, and microfluidics. The team has developed novel particles that generate electric signals upon application of external stimulus which will be useful in the design of new medical devices and therapies for cancer. The team has developed an innovative technology for the stabilisation of effervescent tablets during manufacturing and storage. This innovation is making significant healthcare and environmental impact.
The pharmaceutics team works very closely with external companies and collaborates with the top academic institutions across the world. The undergraduate and postgraduate students will be exposed to the vibrant research culture and will help them develop critical employability skills.
Research centres
Our research centres focus on specific areas of strength in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Life Sciences. The research performed in the centres is highly innovative and renowned nationally and internationally .
