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We are delighted that you are considering Ulster University for your research studies in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science Research Programmes.
As part of the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute (BMSRI), the Centre of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is based on the Coleraine campus and brings together over 20 academic staff with expertise spanning four core Areas of Research Excellence:
Each Area of Research Excellence represents a distinct focus within our broader mission to advance pharmaceutical sciences research and pharmacy practices. Our interdisciplinary teams collaborate closely to drive innovation, improve patient outcomes, and address global health challenges through cutting-edge research and development.
Our research in Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice focuses on optimising patient care through the development and implementation of innovative clinical services. Key areas include antimicrobial stewardship, clinical pharmacy services in primary and secondary care, policy development, and global health. We aim to improve patient outcomes both locally and internationally, with a track record of influencing healthcare practices in countries such as Austria, Ghana, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tanzania, and Malawi. Our work emphasizes collaboration with primary and secondary care settings, healthcare systems, and public health agencies to promote best practices and improve healthcare provision.
Our Translational Pharmaceutics theme centres on formulation development, manufacturing, clinical testing, and management of pharmaceuticals. Our research includes creating innovative drug delivery systems, developing diagnostic tools, and ensuring the safe and effective delivery of therapeutics. We work on nanoparticle-based drug delivery, long-acting injectables, and sustainable management practices for industrial and clinical pharmaceutical settings using One Health approaches. Our team collaborates with biotech, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic companies, in partnership with stakeholder agencies to bring novel formulations from the lab to clinic, ensuring they meet regulatory standards and address real-world healthcare challenges in sustainability.
Our Discovery research focuses on the development of novel therapeutics, advanced sensors, and innovative drug delivery systems. We work on developing new antimicrobials, anti-cancer agents, luminescent and nanoparticle sensors for bioimaging, photo- & sono-dynamic therapy, and polymeric and nanoparticle drug delivery systems. Additionally, we utilise artificial intelligence and molecular modelling to enhance drug design and streamline the drug discovery process. Our collaborative efforts with pharmaceutical, biotech, and diagnostic companies, and research institutions we aim to accelerate the development of effective treatments and diagnostic tools, improving patient care and health outcomes globally.
We are committed to advancing educational pedagogy to promote scientific, clinical, and practice knowledge. Our goal is to guide students, industry scientists, patients, clinicians, and others through new teaching strategies that engage and motivate. By employing active methods of education, we develop innovative ways to enhance learning across the field. This encompasses core science concepts, applied translational knowledge in industry settings, and engaging clinical teams and patients to improve healthcare provision. Our advanced clinical training spans undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels.
A full list of publications and research outputs are available through the University PURE repository.
Are you passionate about research and interested in working with the Centre of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences?
Join us for your research studies at Ulster University's Centre for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, where we are committed to advancing health through world-class research and innovation.
Biomedical Science at Ulster University has an outstanding and sustained record of success in research, recognised in the most recent REF2021 to be internationally excellent, world leading and ranked 5th out of 89 UK universities within the category of Allied Health Professions which encompasses the disciplines of biomedical sciences, nursing, nutrition, pharmacy, optometry, health sciences and personalised medicine. Our research is not only producing outputs of world leading quality but also credited with having significant global translation, impacting positively on health professionals, industry, the general public and specific patient groups. We are proud to have externally recognised world-leading research environment which scored 100% 4*rating in REF 2014 and 2021.
Biomedical Sciences research activities are currently organised within distinct Research Centres: Diabetes, Food & Health (through Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE)), Genomic Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences & Practice, Personalised Medicine and Optometry & Vision Science.
Multi-disciplinary collaboration between the research groups is strongly encouraged and is widespread with research into, for instance, anti-diabetic and antioncogenic aspects of nutrition, the genomics of vitamin receptors, visual deterioration or cancer, imaging of neovascularisation. Our research investigates the interaction between cardiovascular disease and vision and the impact of health and disease, diet, diabetes on dementia, hypertension, autoimmunity, vascular and inflammatory disease, to name a few.
The research groups collaborate both internally and internationally on a range of prioritized multi-disciplinary themes in functional foods, gene-nutrient interactions; pregnancy and early life; healthy ageing, musculoskeletal health; drug discovery and delivery, personalized medicine and genomic medicine. The BMSRI has strong collaborations with regional and global pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies and many of our graduates and postgraduates gain employment in the government bodies, pharma, diagnostics, and health care sectors as well as academia and through self-employment.
The Biomedical Sciences Research Institute (BMSRI) offers a “state-of-the-art” research environment for high profile researchers to undertake internationally agenda setting research in strategically prioritized areas of biomedicine. This research environment within Biomedical Sciences at Ulster has been continually judged as exceptional and world-leading and awarded the highest 100% ranking within the RAE2008, REF2014 and REF2021. Furthermore, in the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) awards, it was ranked 2nd in the UK, with an overall satisfaction rate of 88%.
Our research is carried out in well-equipped laboratories allowing the latest methods to be applied to individual projects. Our infrastructure is managed as Core Facility Units (CFUs) with equipment and laboratories dedicated to supporting pre-clinical studies, controlled human trials with expertise in vascular research, advanced molecular bioimaging/microscopy, bioinformatics, cell technologies, cellular biology, chemical analysis, genomics, proteomics/metabolomics (including mass spectrometry & NMR analysis), ocular imaging and psychophysics, transgenics, physiology and pharmacology.
The BMSRI research infrastructure also includes centralized resources for: high throughput drug screening in vitro assays, clinical research & human intervention studies/ trials; the use and storage of mammalian cells and tissues; and in vivo studies and animal models that replicate human disease. The BMSRI uses its estate of equipment, specialist laboratories, infrastructure and internationally recognized biomedical expertise to offer clinical & translational services to Academic Researchers and Industrial Business partners. The BMSRI routinely engages in collaborative research with some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biomedical companies and through the support of Ulster’s Office of Innovation, the University has established a track record of success in the commercialization of its research outcomes.
Research within BMSRI frequently involves collaboration between clinicians, academics and businesses in the life and health sector contributing to the development and launch of innovative health technologies, medical devices, and therapeutics. In addition to high-spec capabilities such as human genome sequencing, flow-cytometry and tissue culture, the close proximity of our research centres to hospitals permits direct access to NHS diagnostic laboratories, Clinical staff, and expertise in research governance and healthcare economics.
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study. We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.
In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.
In order to be admitted to research study at Ulster, you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as part of your application.
Get full details on the requirements for both home and overseas applicants can be found on our English language requirements page.
PhD graduates are recognised by employers to hold valuable transferrable skills, as the nature of the degree trains candidates in creativity, critical inquiry, problem solving, negotiation skills, professionalism and confidence.
The most recent Ulster survey of PhD graduates found that 92% had secured employment within the first year since graduation (HESA Destination of Leavers Survey 2015), and while two thirds end up in the Higher Education or Research sectors, the range of skills acquired equips the remainder for employment in a wide range of contexts.
Details of tuition fees can be found under the fees schedule for the academic year of entry.
To work out for which fees you would be eligible and to find out more information about potential sources of funding, please view the Fees and Funding pages on the Doctoral College website.
We are delighted that you are considering Ulster University for your research studies.
Get full details on the application process and further guidance on how to apply, and what you will need to upload as part of your application.
Once you have identified supervisors, discussed a research proposal and are ready to make an application, please apply using the online application system.
Ulster University welcomes applications from all sections of the community and from persons with disabilities. It is University policy to assess all applications using academic criteria and on the basis of equality of opportunity and you should be assured that reasonable adjustments will be made should you require them.
View profile for Dr Aaron Courtenay
Telephone
+44 28 7012 3403
Email
a.courtenay@ulster.ac.uk