Drug Delivery

The Drug Delivery Special Interest Group will deal with the science and technology of controlled release of active agents from delivery systems. Controlled drug release is achieved by the use of diffusion, chemical reactions, dissolutions or osmosis, used either singly or in combination. While the vast majority of such delivery devices are based on polymers, controlled release can also be achieved by the use of mechanical pumps. In a broader sense, controlled release also involves control over the site of action of the active agent, using the active agent using pro-drugs, targetable water soluble polymers or various microparticulate systems. Relevant aspects of toxicology, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and biocompatibility are also included.

Objectives:

  1. Provide forums for presentations and exchange of knowledge at SFB through sponsoring symposia and sessions.
  2. Publicize member activities in the Biomaterials Forum.
  3. Provide career and professional development resources through networking and mentoring relationships to facilitate career transitions from graduate school to industrial and academic careers and beyond.
  4. Establish stronger interactions with members in the SIG, other SIGs, and other professional societies.

Activities

  • suggesting, organizing, and implementing symposia, workshops, tutorials, and general scientific sessions at the SFB Annual Meeting and other SFB-sponsored meetings
  • providing networking opportunities for researchers who work at the interface of pharmaceutical science, drug delivery and biomaterials
  • promoting interactions between academia, clinicians, government, and industry in areas that impact drug delivery
  • generating a one stop resource for funding opportunities and needs to better match drug delivery researchers with the funding agencies
  • enhancing education in the area of biomaterials and drug delivery, by contributing articles to relevant publications, sharing educational materials and organizing educational sessions at meetings
  • collaborating with other SIGs to further the goals of the Society as a whole, and to promote advances in biomedical materials research in a broad range of applications

Officers

Chair: Kevin J. McHugh, PhD
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research
Departments of Bioengineering and Chemistry
​Rice University
t: (713) 348-8089
e: kevin.mchugh@rice.edu

Vice Chair: Matthew J. Webber, PhD
Keating-Crawford Collegiate Professor of Engineering
Associate Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
University of Notre Dame
105F McCourtney Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
t: (574)631-4246
e: mwebber@nd.edu

Secretary/Treasurer: Gopal Agarwal, PhD
The University of Florida
Biomedical Sciences Building (BMS), 2nd floor: J257
1275 Center Drive
t: (605) 394-5222
e: gopalniperbt@gmail.com

Program Chair: John R. Clegg, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Oklahoma
Gallogly Hall, Room 101
173 Felgar St. | Norman, OK 73019
t: (405) 325-5318
e: clegg@ou.edu

Web Representative: Daniel Hachim, Ph.D
McGowan Institute/University of Pittsburgh
450 Technology Drive, Suite 323.4
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
t: (412) 328-0750
e: djh88@pitt.edu

PostDoc Representative: Marian Ackun-Farmmer, PhD
University of Maryland
e: mackunfa@umd.edu 

Student Representative: Brett Pogostin
Rice University
e: bp22@rice.edu

Biomaterials Forum Reporter: Eun Ji Chung, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Southern California
1042 Downey Way, DRB 314
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1111
t: (213) 740-2925
e: eunchung@usc.edu

Past Chair: Michael John Mitchell, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Pennsylvania
240 Skirkanich Hall
210 S. 33rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
t: 215.898.0882
e: mjmitch@seas.upenn.edu

 

Back to SIGs Overview