Pharmaceutical Research Group

Our Pharmaceutical Research Group (PRG) carries out cutting-edge researches in Nanomedicine, Pharmaceutical Technology, Controlled Release and Drug Development.
Our research is based on our Multi-Functional SuperLab Complex including a Pharmaceutical Research Lab.

List of equipment

Our projects

Repurposing of Disulfiram and its metabolites for cancer therapy: Disulfiram (DS), an anti-alcoholism drug used in clinics over for 60 years, has shown high cytotoxicity in a wide range of cancer types while sparing the healthy cells. However, the clinical use of DS as an anti-cancer drug is limited by the very short half-life in the bloodstream limiting its systematic administration. In addition, the clinical use of DS is limited by their very poor solubility in water. In this project, we aim to:
a) design, characterise and biologically evaluate specific delivery systems of DS alone and in combination with anticancer drugs
b) enhance the water solubility of DS using several pharmaceutical techniques, specifically polymer complexations and particle engineering.
Engineering novel nanomaterials, polymeric prodrugs/conjugates and polymeric nano-particulates for drug delivery applications such as enhancing water solubility or/and overcoming the P-glycoprotein drug efflux transporter.
Utilizing novel pharmaceutical techniques for the understanding and prediction of in-vitro drug-drug and drug-food interactions
Synthesis of small molecules with anticipated biological activity, particularly with anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects

Key members of staff

Dr Mohammad Najlah
Dr Basel Arafat
Dr Ibrahim Tolaymat
Dr Francesca Panin
Dr Nicky Milner

PhD students

Ibrahim Dumbuya
Bárbara Machado

Recent Publications

Najlah, M.*, Freeman, S., Khoder, M., Attwood, D., D’Emanuele, A. 2017. In vitro evaluation of the third generation PAMAM dendrimer conjugates. Molecules, 22(10), 1661. doi: 10.3390/molecules22101661

Khoder, M.*, Abdelkader, H., ElShaer, A., Karam, A., Najlah, M., Alany, R.G. 2017. The use of albumin solid dispersion for enhanced un-ionisable drugs solubility. Pharm. Dev. Tech. dx.doi.org/10.1080/10837450.2017.1364267

Najlah, M., Ahmed, Z., Iqbal, M., Wang, Z., Tawari, P., Wang, W., McConville, C.*, 2017. Development and characterisation of disulfiram-loaded PLGA nanoparticles for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 112, pp.224-233. doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2016.11.032

Najlah, M.*, Jain, M., Wan K. W., Ahmed, W., Phoenix A. D., Taylor, K. M.G., Elhissi, A.*, 2016. Ethanol-based proliposome delivery systems of paclitaxel for in vitro application against brain cancer cells. Journal of Liposome Research, 14, pp.1-12. dx.doi.org/10.1080/08982104.2016.1259628

Khoder, M.*, Abdelkader, H., ElShaer, A., Karam, A., Najlah, M., Alany, R.G., 2016. Efficient approach to enhance drug solubility by particle engineering of bovine serum albumin. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 515(1-2), pp.740-748. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.11.019

Najlah, M.*, Kadam A., Wan, K.W., Ahmed, W., Taylor K. M.G., Elhissi, A.*, 2016. Novel paclitaxel formulations solubilized by lipid nanoemulsions for brain tumour therapy. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 506(1-2), pp. 102-109. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.04.027

Subramanian, S., Khan, I., Korale, O., Alhnan, M. A., Ahmed, W., Najlah, M., Taylor, K. M. G., & Elhissi, A.*, 2016. A simple approach to predict the stability of phospholipid vesicles to nebulization without performing aerosolization studies. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 502(1–2), pp.18-27. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.01.070

Rudokas, M., Najlah, M., Alhnan, M. A., & Elhissi, A.*, 2016. Liposome Delivery Systems for Inhalation: A Critical Review Highlighting Formulation Issues and Anticancer Applications. Medical Principles and Practice. 25(2), pp.60-72. doi.org/10.1159/000445116

Aldalaty, A., Karam, A., Najlah, M., Alany, R., Khoder, M. *, 2016. Effect of non-cross-linked calcium on properties, swelling behaviour, drug release and mucoadhesiveness of calcium alginate beads. Carbohydrate polymers, 140, pp.163-170. doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.12.010

Tawari, P., Wang, Z., Najlah, M., Tsang, C., Kannappan, V., Liu, P., Mcconville, C., Armesilla, A., Wang, W.*, 2015. The cytotoxic mechanisms of Disulfiram and copper(II) in cancer cells. Toxicology Research, 4, pp.1439-1442. dx.doi.org/10.1039/C5TX00210A

Najlah, M., Hidayat, K., Mwesigwa, E., Ahmed, W., Al-Obaidi, K., Elhissi A. M. A.*, 2015. A facile approach to manufacturing non-ionic surfactant nanodipsersions using proniosome technology and high-pressure homogenization. Journal of Liposome Research, 25(1), PP.32-37. dx.doi.org/10.3109/08982104.2014.924140

Najlah, M., Parveen, I., Faheem, A., Ahmed, W., Phoenix A. D., Kevin Taylor M.G., Elhissi, A.*, 2014. The effects of suspensions particle size on the performance of vibrating-mesh, air-jet and ultrasonic nebulizers. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 461(1), pp.234-241. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2013.11.022

13. Nasr, M., Najlah, M., D’Emanuele, A, Elhissi, A.*, 2014. PAMAM dendrimers as aerosol drug nanocarriers for pulmonary delivery via nebulization. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 461(1), pp.242-250. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2013.11.023

Contact us

Dr Mohammad Najlah
Email: mohammad.najlah@anglia.ac.uk
Phone +44 (0) 1245 68 4682