6 sub-topics covering the mechanisms, design trade-offs and experimental methods that define this area of our work.
Solubility, partition coefficient, ionisation and molecular size — the properties that decide whether a molecule can ever reach its target.
Before any carrier is designed, the payload's own chemistry sets the ceiling. Lipinski-style rules, the pH-partition hypothesis and the Biopharmaceutics Classification System frame which barriers are addressable at all.
Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of a therapeutic — and how a carrier rewrites each of those curves.
Attaching a carrier changes the whole kinetic profile: circulation half-life, volume of distribution and clearance route. We model these shifts before committing to a formulation.
Oral, intravenous, subcutaneous, pulmonary, transdermal and intranasal routes, each with its own biological constraints.
The route determines the first barrier a delivery system meets. Matching carrier architecture to route — rather than forcing a preferred formulation onto every indication — removes most early attrition.
Polymeric matrices, reservoirs and stimuli-responsive systems that set the timing of payload release.
Release kinetics can be programmed by diffusion, degradation or an external trigger such as pH, temperature or enzymatic activity — turning a single dose into a defined therapeutic window.
Exploiting leaky vasculature and the enhanced permeability and retention effect, or decorating surfaces with ligands for receptor-mediated uptake.
Passive accumulation relies on tumour vasculature architecture; active targeting adds a molecular address. The two are complementary, and the second only works when the first is under control.
Turning a laboratory formulation into a reproducible, regulator-approved product.
Scale-up, sterility assurance, critical quality attributes and stability programmes decide whether a promising delivery system ever reaches a patient. We design for these from the first batch.
We co-develop nanocarrier and biosensing programs with pharma, biotech and academic groups — from target selection through GMP supply.