Professor and Head of Centre for Drug Delivery Research

The School of Pharmacy, University of London
29-39 Brunswick Square
London WC1N 1AX, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7753 5928
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7753 5975
Email: oya.alpar@pharmacy.ac.uk

Education/ Training
PhD Pharmaceutics: The School of Pharmacy, University of London 1971
Final Year Qualifying Exam Pharmacy: University of London 1968
BSc (Hons) Pharmacy: Ankara University, Turkey 1966

Positions and Honors
Member of editorial boards, Journal of Drug Targeting, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews (Special Issues), Current Drug Delivery Journal, Nanomedicine
EC working group expert, Executive Board of the European Technical Platform for Global Animal Health 2005 - present
Member of Controlled Release Society, and American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists 2005 – present
Visiting Examiner to the MPharm Board of Examiners within King’s College Undergraduate School of Health & Life Sciences 2004-present
Temporary Adviser to the WHO Steering Committee on New Vaccine Delivery Systems 2003 – present
EC advisor on microencapsulation in microgravity 2003 - present
Professor, Centre for Drug Delivery Research Group, The School of Pharmacy, University of London May 2001-present
Reader, Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, Aston University 2000-2001
Diploma of Associate Professorship/ Full Professorship: Hacettepe University 1976/1981
Senior Lecturer/Lecturer, Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, Aston University 1990-1999
Senior Research Fellow, Department of Pharmaceutical & Biological Sciences, Aston University 1982-1989
Professor and Head of Departments of Pharmaceutical & Industrial & Clinical Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara 1975-1981
Senior Lecturer in Physical Pharmacy & Head of Department of Pharmaceutics, Hacettepe University, Ankara 1971-1975

Summary of research
Professor Alpar has extensive experience with many different pharmaceutical dosage forms. Over the last two decades, she has investigated protein and DNA based vaccine micro- and nano- encapsulation technologies. She is a progressive expert in the field of micro-particle technology and their use in vaccination and delivery of other biotherapeutics. She has pioneered nasal particulate vaccine delivery and demonstrated the importance of formulation, processing and physicochemical characteristics on the immunological responses. She was also the first investigator to show the importance of the use of adsorption and both mucosal and parenteral use of particulate carriers for delivery of DNA. Studies into vaccines against potential agents for bioterrorism plague, anthrax and botulinum have also resulted in several patents and some formulations are at the stage of clinical trials. Her recent work has shown that multicomponent plasmid DNA formulations can be stabilised for nebulization. Her group is working with industry for the development of novel formulations for pulmonary delivery of macromolecules (antibodies and plasmid DNA). Formulation and scaling aspects of fabrication techniques such as freeze-drying and spray-drying, super-critical fluid technology and continuous flow high-pressure homogenisation are currently under investigation in her laboratories. Ongoing research carried out by her group in collaboration with industry and international academic institutions that contribute significant know-how and demonstrate expertise relevant to these projects involve the development of novel formulations. Her research has pursued a number of technologically advanced and strategically different approaches for the generation of protective immunity by use of polymeric carrier antigen delivery systems, resulting in a number of formulations reaching the stage of clinical trials, the award of 9 patents and the publication of over 100 articles. Her work has recently focused on the stabilisation and development of vaccines for veterinary use, leading to protection as demonstrated with Strangles and Blue tongue disease using formulated antigens and organisms. Professor Alpar’s recent research has generated several million pounds of funding that has enabled the development of many candidate delivery systems for use in drug and vaccine delivery. In addition to being Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Microencapsulation, she has editorial responsibilities in a number of other scientific Journals.

Teaching
Professor Alpar has taught and supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students for thirty years. During this time, she has supervised 24 PhD students and 7 MSc students to successful completion.

Selected peer-reviewed publications from 2000
Alpar HO et al., Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2005; 2(5):829-42
Bramwell VW et al., Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2005; 57 (9):1247-65
Alpar HO et al., Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2005; 57 (3):411-30
Howard et al., Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 2004; 1674 (2):149-157
Eyles JE, Elvin SJ, Westwood A, Lebutt CS, Alpar HO, Somavarapu S, Williamson ED., Vaccine, 2004; 22(31-32):4365-73
Flick-Smith HC et al., Infection and Immunity, 2002; 70(2):2022-8
Bramwell VW et al., Immunology, 2002; 106(3):412-8
Griffin KF et al., Vaccine, 2002; 20(31-32):3650-7
Alpar HO et al., Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2001; 51 (1-3):173-201