THE BERGSTRÖM GROUP
Christel Bergström
As a drug delivery scientist, I make use of knowledge of physiological pathways to improve delivery of pharmacologically active compounds to the site of action. With a strong background in pharmaceutics, material sciences, physical chemistry and physiology, I focus on making use of the right tech with a clinical translation in mind from day one. I work multidisciplinary and make use of advanced computational modelling, develop novel in vitro tools and design new type(s) of drug carriers in my quest for personalized medicines transforming the current healthcare.
Brief biography
Dr Bergström is Professor in Molecular Pharmaceutics at Uppsala University where she is heading a research group of ~20 people focusing on delivery of problematic compounds (poorly solubles, biologics). She is Director of the Swedish Drug Delivery Forum, Deputy Dean Collaboration Medicine & Pharmacy at Uppsala University, and Associate Editor of Molecular Pharmaceutics. She has authored more than 100 articles based on her multidisciplinary research ranging over in silico, in vitro and in vivo methodologies in the field of pharmacetutics.
Dr Bergström has attracted funding to her research program from highly competitive sources, including the European Research Council (two as PI, one as collaborator), Swedish Research Council, the National Institute of Health and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research. In 2010, Dr Bergström was awarded a Marie Curie International Qualification grant for a research program together with Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Australia). When returning back to Uppsala University in 2012 she was appointed adjunct associate professor at Monash University - a position she holds since then.
Dr Bergström is the cofounder of Center of Pharmaceutical Informatics at Uppsala University (now UDOPP) together with Prof Per Artursson and has in this role interacted with numerous national and international pharma and biotech companies. She is a cofounder of the Nordic Pharma Network and an EXCO member of Nordic University Hub within patient-oriented products (the Nordic POP initiative). She is also an EXCO member of the Globalization Pharmaceutics Education Network.
Alexandra Teleki
My research interests focus on functional nanomaterial-based formulations for drug delivery and biosensing, as well as on dissolution rate of poorly-soluble compounds from controlled suspensions.
alexandra.teleki@farmaci.uu.se
Per Larsson
My research interests focus on computational modeling of biological drugs, in particular peptides, and their interactions with lipid bilayers and permeation enhancers. I also work on modeling different drug delivery systems to understand how they modulate drug solubility and dissolution.
Lab Manager
Caroline Alvebratt
My research is focused on in vitro models to evaluate the performance of advanced drug delivery system. Previous work has included evaluation of solubilizing formulations and various amorphous formulations. Currently working with validation and optimization of a combined digestion-permeation assay, the ENA.
Researcher
Madlen Hubert
I am exploring lipid-based nanoparticles for oral delivery of challenging biopharmaceuticals. I am particularly interested in studying the interactions of nanoparticle with membranes using a combination of cell-based assays, biophysical approaches as well as advanced microscopy techniques
Post-doctoral researchers
Agnes Rodler
My research is focused on developing a humanized in vitro model of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim is to utilize this model for in-depth analysis of nanoparticle-host cell interactions as well as investigation of human transport pathways across the intestinal epithelium.
Aleksei Kabedev
Development of MD simulation protocols applicable to complex and lipid-rich water-based systems, and a subsequent study on drug solubilization in fasted and fed state intestinal fluids. Multicomponent systems consisting of phospholipids, bile salts, excipients and food components are of a specific interest.
Hannah Pohlit
I am currently working on lipid-based formulations for oral peptide delivery with particular interest in transient permeation enhancers. The interactions of cells and the lipid-based formulations will be analyzed using a combined digestion-permeation assay.
Patrick D. Sinko
My research area encompasses in vivo predictive dissolution of drug and drug products in the stomach , jejunum, duodenum, using mechanistic models and polymeric membrane in vitro methods.
Shakhawath Hossain
The aim of my research is to improve the understanding of oral absorption of biologics using in silico modelling techniques e.g. molecular dynamics. Much of the research focus is to explore the interaction of transient permeability enhancers with different components of intestinal fluids and cellular transport mechanism of biologics with or without permeability enhancers.
PHD STUDENTS
Albin Parrow
Exploring the role of colloidal structures in intestinal fluids. Utilizing experimental and computational techniques to understand how these structures influence solubility of poorly water soluble drugs.
Benyamin Naranjani
My research is concerned with the development of key understanding mechanisms underlying low bioavailability and high variability in the application of permeability enhancers to the design of oral delivery systems for biologics drug molecules. In particular, determining the role of intestinal motility as a potential variability source to study the transport of biologics and fatty acid-based permeability enhancers through the development of state-of-the-art computational experiments.
Jenny Johannesson
My research focus on design and development of suitable oral dosage forms for children suffering from severe diseases. The work involves understanding of formulation aspects important for design of child-friendly dosage forms along with exploring 3D printing and its application for printing of lipid-based drug delivery systems to develop personalized medicines.
Jiaxi Zhao
My research focuses on utilizing machine learning to develop predictive algorithms for solubility of drug molecules based on big data.
Lidia Habtemikael
I am working on pediatric dosage form development and specifically with 3D-printed medicines for severely sick children. I work on formulations incorporating poorly soluble compounds, and on products that are easily dissolved and suitable for administration to children.
Marco Tjakra
My project aims to improve the understanding of drug dissolution, diffusion, and absorption from the human colon with a focus on the role of the colonic mucus layer. The obtained results will be used to design drug delivery decision trees for colonic drug delivery as well as improved in silico models for drug absorption from the colon.
Mingjun Wu
My research focuses on the dissolution of poorly water-soluble compounds in colon. The generated knowledge will be used for developing physiologically relevant in vitro and in silico models that will improve our understanding of how to design successful dosage forms for efficient colonic release and absorption.
Mira El Sayed
My research work focuses on developing a science based approach to better understand the dissolution/release and absorption from complex ASDs (amorphous solid dispersions) of multi-drug formulations with the overall goal to efficiently translate drug discovery findings to well-functioning drug products.
Prosper Emeh
I graduated from Université Paris Cité with an MSc in pharmaceutical sciences focused on nanomedicines development for drug delivery. My PhD aims to study the impact of the physicochemical characteristics of macromolecular drugs and that of permeation enhancers, explaining their interactions and the interplay with gastrointestinal barriers towards improving oral bioavailability.
Rosita Kneiszl
My aim is to study the membrane permeability of peptides by using computational methods such as molecular dynamics simulations.
Shahina Akter
My research focuses on lipid-based formulations for enhancing peptide drug bioavailability. Particularly, I am exploring influence of intestinal colloidal structures on LBF by using simulation and scattering techniques.
Shaquib Ansari
I graduated from the University of Copenhagen with an MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences and have experience working with liposomal vaccines for intra-pulmonary delivery. My current research goal as a PhD student is to develop therapeutic magnetic nanoparticles for the treatment of IBD and to facilitate non-invasive local delivery of these nano-enabled systems.
Shno Asad
I graduated with a Master’s degree in pharmacy and chemistry from the University of Gothenburg in January 2019. My current work aims to develop a new strategy to diagnose and treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using functional nanomaterials. By creating an oral vehicle that incorporates magnetic nanoparticles, we aim to establish a noninvasive diagnostic approach, as well as to deliver therapeutics in a localized manner for a more efficient and targeted treatment.
Staffan Berg
I’m studying the intestinal absorption of poorly permeable compounds and the use of permeation enhancers.
Vicky Barmpatsalou
The aim of my PhD project is to provide novel insights regarding the nature of the gastrointestinal mucus, with an end goal to develop in vitro models that will enable the assessment of the permeation behavior of poorly soluble drugs through the colonic mucus.
Xiguo He
Current research focuses on conceptualizing nanostructures of LCNPs and design oral delivery systems that survive GIT transit, and pass over the intestinal barrier as intact NPs. We will make use of lipid building blocks that are resistant to digestion in the GIT.
Yael Suárez
I received a BSc. in Biotechnology Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey and a MSc. in Nanomedicine for drug delivery from the University of Paris. My current research aims to engineer iron oxide-based magnetic biosensors to quantify pedriatic inflammatory bowel disease activity by magnetic imaging techniques such as MRI and MPI, as well as the development of an oral delivery platform for these biosensors.
Yuming Zhang
I graduated with an MSc in Medical Biology from Linköping University in 2021, with a focus on the development of gold nanoparticle-based vaccines. The aim of my PhD research is to develop a non-invasive diagnostic method for early detection of colorectal cancer using functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles.