RESEARCH THEMES
Our lab is Applying Nano & Microfabrication Techniques in the Manufacturing of Drug Delivery Systems, Medical Devices and Implants.
Our Lab is emerging new materials and manufacturing techniques, in order to address the challenges associated with the manufacture of pharmaceutical systems that will teach new tricks to old drugs and on the development of new personalised medical devices and implants.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
Our AM research is focusing on the development of AM equipment & processes, in materials for drug delivery applications & implants, in Bioprinting, and in printing for medications.
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Manufacturing of novel drug delivery systems & medical devices (e.g., catheters, drug eluting vascular grafts, implants for long-acting drug delivery, surgical meshes, microneedles, oral dosage forms) using innovative 3D printing technologies.
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3D Bioprinting applications in pharmaceutics and tissue engineering (e.g., arterial regeneration, bioresorbable vascular scaffolds, cardiac patches, wound healing).
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4D printing systems for the manufacturing of scaffolds, implants, and targeted drug delivery systems.
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Bioinks & Filaments: In-house prepared Bio-inks using natural or synthetic polymers, and preparation of drug-loaded or empty filaments by hot-melt extrusion (HME).
The implantable medical devices that manufactured / designed in our lab, can be used for the delivery of a variety of molecules for the treatment of diversity of diseases, such Cardiovascular, Cancer (e.g., Breast, Prostate), Diabetes, Gynaecological, HIV, Ocular, and Parkinson’s, among many others.
Recognised as world leaders in 3D Printing / Bioprinting. PubMed-based algorithms (AOctt 2025) placed us in the top 0.01% of scholars in the world writing about Printing, over the past 10 years.
ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC PROCESSES
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Manufacturing of medical nanofibers by electrospinning (melt or solution) for a variety of drug delivery and tissue engineering applications (e.g., cardiac patches, long-acting implantable devices, oral films, solid dispersions, surgical mesh implants, wound healing).
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Electrospray: coating of implants (e.g., stents) or preparation of microparticles.
PubMed-based algorithms (Oct 2025) placed us in the top 0.6% of scholars in the world writing about nanofibers.
MICROFLUIDICS & LAB-ON-A-CHIP
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Manufacturing of polymer-based (e.g., PLGA), lipid-based (e.g., liposomes, Solid lipid nanoparticles, niosomes, exosomes), hydrid, supramolecular assembly, metal-based (e.g., Au), and Nanocrystalline Nanomedicines using microfluidics and comparison with traditional formulation methods (e.g., extrusion, high-pressure homogenization, thin-film hydration) for imaging or treatment or targeting using new or currently available drugs & biologics; including surface modification for cancer treatment/targeting.
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In-house fabrication of microfluidic chips (including Lab-on-a-chip | Organ-on-a-chip) for Pharmaceutical Applications (e.g., Drug Delivery, Drug Screening) by 3D printing or moulding.
Recognised as world leaders in Microfluidics. PubMed-based algorithms (Oct 2025) placed us in the top 0.07% of scholars in the world writing about Microfluidics, over the past 10 years.
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGIES
Diagnostic technologies are essential to the success of any healthcare system. Our lab utilizes cutting-edge technologies such as BioMEMS, Microfluidics, and Bioprinting to create innovative devices that enhance clinical decision-making, offer diagnostics, and greatly improve quality of life worldwide. For instance, we employ microfluid technology for the rapid and efficient detection of food allergens, viral infections, and tumors (cancer).
SUSTAINABILITY & SUPPLY-CHAIN
The lab is recognized as a Sustainable Lab, having earned Sustainable Lab (S-L) Awards and engaging in the LEAF pilot lab sustainability program with a Gold Award.
3D printing and microfluidics are technologies in the pharmaceutical industry, reshaping business ecosystems. It is crucial to comprehend the environmental, social, economic, and legal implications associated with these emerging technologies and their potential in pharmaceutical.
OUR STUDIES INCLUDE
From conceptualization, to formulation to in vivo analysis: Conceptualization, Formulation / Manufacturing, Physicochemical Characterization using state-of-the-art techniques, Computational Modelling (e.g., Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)), and in vitro, ex vivo & in vivo evaluation.
Implementation of concepts such as Scaling-out, Scaling-up, Continuous Manufacturing, Quality by Design (QbD) & Process Analytical Technology (PAT; e.g., NIR, MiR, Raman, and UV probes).
Machine Learning / Artificial Intelligence: variety of methods in Additive Manufacturing and Microfluidics.
Advanced Characterisation: Use of state-of-the-art Nanocharacterisation techniques (e.g., AFM, μCT, ToF-SIMS, XPS).
Business and Intellectual Property (IP) Support, Clinical Implementation of Emerging Technologies, and Regulatory Analysis.
If you want to learn more about our research, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.