Johan Palm is new Co-Lead in the Oral Drug Delivery Work package
Just a minute… Johan Palm, Associate Principal Scientist at AstraZeneca and new Co-Lead in SweDeliver's Oral Drug Delivery Work package, who identifies both skilled junior researchers and opportunities for increased collaboration.
(Image removed) Johan Palm, Associate Principal Scientist, AstraZeneca
What makes you accept the position as Co-Lead in SweDeliver?
“I am simply passionate about oral drug delivery, and have been since I began my own PhD studies at Uppsala University's Faculty of Pharmacy almost thirty years ago. I was part of Per Artursson's research environment, focusing on the development of cell models for studies of drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract with Caco-2 cells, it was a very educational time.”
What are you current tasks?
“I am project managing biopharmaceutical development of oral drugs at AstraZeneca R&D in Gothenburg. In this role, I have already been involved in a number of projects within SweDeliver, among them one focusing on the development of new in vitro systems for evaluating subcutaneous drug administration and another studying lipid-based formulations with permeability enhancers for oral administration of biological substances.”
What is your perception of SweDeliver's operations today?
“That the recruitment of promising PhD students and postdocs is successful, that the scientific issues are strongly connected to industrial challenges and that the research program is of very high quality.”
(Image removed) AstraZeneca R&D, Gothenburg
What values can SweDeliver add to an industry giant like AstraZeneca?
“Both large and relevant. The research projects I have been involved in respond directly to our need for increased knowledge, for example how permeability enhancers can affect the absorption of macromolecules. That we via SweDeliver communicate directly with the academy about what knowledge we will need among future employees is another obvious success factor.”
Can you identify ways to develop SweDeliver further?
“Strengthened collaboration, both within and between the work packages. The fact that many projects share closely related issues, orientations and methods opens up for synergy effects that we have not yet fully utilized. Within the Oral Drug Delivery Work package we will likely gather the entire group already in February and then arrange meetings three times per semester.”
What else awaits in the Oral Drug Delivery Work package?
“The board has just approved two new PhD Student projects that will be phased into two ongoing studies that are nearing completion. We will start the recruitment process in the next few weeks aiming to have our new researchers onsite in early spring, so the near future looks very interesting.
FACTS
- Betty Lomstein Pedersen, Lead Scientist at Ferring (DK), also joins as a Co-lead in the Oral Drug Delivery Work package. We will return with a presentation of Betty Lomstein Pedersen in Newsletter 1-22.
- Research in the Oral Drug Delivery Work package focuses on better design of drug delivery systems that fulfil the requirements for absorption from the small intestine and colon.
- AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical business bringing innovative medicines to millions of patients. The Gothenburg site is one of AstraZeneca's three strategic science centres. The focus is on cardiovascular/metabolic, respiratory diseases, strongly underpinned by drug delivery R&D.
MORE INFORMATION
- The Oral Drug Delivery Work package
- The projects in the Oral Drug Deliver Work package
- AstraZeneca Gbg online
CONTACT
(Image removed) Per Larsson, senior lecturer
Lead, work package Oral drug delivery
per.r.larsson@uu.se
text: Magnus Alsne, photo: AstraZeneca, Mikael Wallerstedt