- About
- People
- Key Publications
- Funding
- Collaborations
The Therapeutics Research Centre (TRC) is headed by Professor Michael Roberts, an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow with a joint appointment between the University of South Australia and the University of Queensland.
Our research team consists of a group of postdoctoral and postgraduate scientists that specialize in key areas and are engaged in developing, formulating and characterising new nanosystems for delivery of therapeutic, diagnostic or prophylactic substances. Advanced imaging (multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy) allows us to visualise and quantitate pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic processes in biological systems (tissues, organs, cells). While a brand new suite of state of the art LC/MS/MS instruments give us previously unattainable sensitivity and selectivity in the analysis of drugs, metabolites and toxins.
Staff at the TRC have active research interests covering a spectrum of therapeutics including:
- the chemistry of drugs (including drug design and natural products)
- the effects drugs have on the body (pharmacology and toxicology)
- the effects the body has on drugs (pharmacokinetics and drug delivery)
- how drugs can be best used to treat disease (topical drug delivery and quality use of medicines) for patients
Researchers
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Professor Michael Roberts
Position: Science Director
Group: Therapeutics Research Centre
Theme: Drug & Vaccine Development
Phone: +61 8 8302 2815
Email: [email protected]
Profile: View profile
UniSA: Michael Roberts
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Associate Professor Lorraine Mackenzie
Position: Associate Research Professor
Group: Therapeutics Research Centre
Theme: Drug & Vaccine Development
Email: [email protected]
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Dr Faye Whan
Position: LCMS Analyst
Group: Therapeutics Research Centre
Theme: Drug & Vaccine Development
Email: [email protected]
Profile: View profile
Students
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Sean Mangion
Position: Student
Group: Therapeutics Research Centre
Theme: Drug & Vaccine Development
Email: [email protected]
Profile: View profile
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Shuping Qiang
Position: Student
Group: Therapeutics Research Centre
Theme: Drug & Vaccine Development
Email: [email protected]
Profile: View profile
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Joshua Dalton
Position: Student
Group: Therapeutics Research Centre
Theme: Drug & Vaccine Development
Profile: View profile
Student Alumni
| Name | Degree | Year Awarded | Thesis title | Supervisors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemlem Gebremichael | PhD, University of South Australia | 2020 | Assessing patterns and appropriateness of prescriptions in elderly patients admitted to South Australian hospitals | Roberts MS, Mackenzie L |
| Ana Macedo | PhD, University of South Australia | 2017 | Skin deep - understanding transport within the skin and nail for formulation design | Roberts MS, Mackenzie L, Holmes A |
| Vivek Nooney | PhD, University of South Australia | 2017 | Determinants of clinical responses to platelet ADP receptor antagoinsts | Roberts MS, Horowitz JD, Chirkov Y |
| Michael Pastore | PhD, University of South Australia | 2017 | Getting through the skin's formidable barrier: understanding the role of solute structure, skin morphology and formulation in skin delivery | Roberts MS, Mackenzie L |
| M Sinollareddy | PhD, University of South Australia | 2016 | Dose optimisation of antimicrobial agents: Pharmokinetic and pharmacodynamic approach | Roberts MS and Roberts JA |
Staff Alumni
| Name | Previous position |
|---|---|
| Dr Lydia Sandiford | Nanotechnologist |
| Dr Isha Haridass | Research Assistant |
Please also refer to the financial year Publication Lists.
Sime F, Roberts MS, Tiong IS, Gardner J, Lehman S, Peake S, Hahn U, Warner M, Roberts JA. Can therapeutic drug monitoring optimise exposure of piperacillin in febrile neutropenic patients with haematological malignancies? A randomised controlled trial. J Antimicrob Chemother; 2015. 70(8):2369-75.
Pastore M, Kalia Y, Horstmann M, Roberts MS. Transdermal patches: history, development and pharmacology. British Journal of Pharmacology; 2015. 172(9):2179-209.
Sinnollareddy M, Roberts MS, Lipman J, Robertson TA, Peake SL, Roberts JA. Pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury receiving sustained low efficiency diafiltration. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents; 2015. 45:192-195.
Kuswahyuning R, Roberts MS. Concentration dependency in nicotine skin penetration flux from aqueous solutions reflects vehicle induced changes in nicotine stratum corneum retention. Pharmaceutical Research ; 2014. 31(6):1501-1511.
Prow TW, Grice JE, Lin L, Faye R, Butler M, Becker W, Wurm EMT, Yoong C, Robertson TA, Soyer HP, Roberts MS. Nanoparticles And Microparticles For Skin Drug Delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev; 2011. 63(6):470-91.
Funding since 2012
| Chief Investigators | Granting Body | Project Title | Type of Grant | Total Grant Amount | Funding Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes A | The Hospital Research Foundation | Postpartum infections: Development of novel prevention and treatment strategies for postpartum vaginal and perineal infections | Early Career Research Fellowship | $152,000 | 2020 - 2021 |
| Roberts M, Mohammad Y, Grice J, Namjoshi S, Laita Silva V, Benson H, Chen T, Maibach H, Roberts D, Lian G, Wu C-Y, Alinaghi A, Ladermann J, Cronin M, Assimov Y, Frash H, van der Hoek J, Xu Z, Patzelt A | US FDA 1U01FD006496 | Bioequivalence of topic products: elucidating the thermodynamic and functional characteristics of compositionally different topic formulations | FDA Project | USD $1,250,000 | 2018 - 2023 |
| Roberts M, Liu X, Grice J, Mohammad Y, Medley G, Cheruvu H, Alinaghi A, van der Hoek J, Paolak S, Nikunijkumar P, Sumit A, Abdula T, Wragg K, Clarke J, Frash H, Assimov Y, Cronin M, Maibach H, Chen T, Pope K | US FDA 1U01FD006522, University of Queensland | Formulation of drug product quality attributes in dermal physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models for topical dermatological drug products and transdermal delivery systems | FDA Project | USD $500,000 | 2018 - 2020 |
| Polak S, Patel N, Jamei M, Clarke J, Arora S, Martins F, Salem F, Abdulla T, Barnett A, Su Y, Crowzet N, Roberts MS | US FDA | Characterization of key system parameters of mechanistic dermal PBPK models in various skin diseases and performance verification of the model using observed local and systemic concentrations | FDA Project | USD $140,000 | 2018 - 2020 |
| Roberts M | NHMRC (#1107356) | Research Fellowship | Research Fellowship | $851,980 | 2016 - 2020 |
| Roberts M, Anissimov Y, Benson H, Hussain MY, Lehmann P, Medley G, Namjoshi S, Leite de Silva V, Windbergs M, Walters K, Mahima H | US FDA 1U01FD005226-01 | Characterisation of critical quality attributes for semisolid topical drug products | FDA Project | USD $500,000 | 2014 - 2019 |
| Buckley N, Isbister G, Dawson A, Roberts M | NHMRC (#1055176) | An integrated research program in human toxicology to ensure rapid translation of results into practice and regulation | Program grant | $6,846,800 | 2014 - 2018 |
| Roberts M, Mark Kendall M | NHMRC (#1049906) | Specific targeting of nanosystems by cutaneous delivery | Project grant | $951,201 | 2013 – 2015 |
| Crawford D, Maddern, G (Roberts M moved to be an Associate Investigator (AI) in 2014 to accommodate a Program Grant | NHMRC (#1049979) | Advanced imaging to define hepatic and intestinal drug disposition in aging and liver diseases | Project grant | $735,820 | 2013 – 2015 |
| Roberts J, Lipman J, Paul S, Peake S, Turnidge J (Roberts M moved to be an Associate Investigator (AI) in 2014 to accommodate a Program Grant) | NHMRC (#1044941) | Robust antibiotic dosing for critically ill patients receiving renal replacement therapy | Project grant | $1,163,486 | 2013 – 2015 |
| Roberts MS, Milne R, White J, Zhou X, Wang S, Xian C | NHMRC | Confocal microscope and LCMSMS | Equipment Grant | $56,000 | 2013 |
| Roberts MS, Milne R | NHMRC | Microscope Inverter arms and dipping lens | Equipment Grant | $10,052 | 2012 |
| Roberts M, Buckley N, Zoltan E, Dawson A; Sheriff R, Isbister G | NHMRC (#1011772) | Biomarkers of acute renal toxicity in humans | Project grant | $1,044,711 | 2011 – 2013 |
| Roberts M, Prow T | NHMRC (#1008739) | Targeted redox therapy for photoageing prevention and treatment | Project grant | $543,390 | 2011 – 2013 |
| Minchin R, Roberts M, Martin D, Smith S, Monteiro M, Gahan L | NHMRC (#569694) | Toxicology of Nanomaterials | Project grant | $1,811,547 | 2009 – 2013 |
| Roberts M, Prof Michael Weiss, A/Pr Graeme Macdonald, Dr Jonathan Fawcett, A/Pr Luis Vitetta, Dr Linda M Fletcher | NHMRC (#569710) | Pharmacodynamics in Liver Disease and in Liver Surgery | Project grant | $865,777 | 2009 – 2011 |
| Voelcker NH, Lombi E, Roberts MS, Priest CI | ARC (DP150101774) | Closing the data gap: High throughput screening of nanoparticle toxicity | Discovery Grant | $363,000 | 2015 - 2017 |
| Roberts MS | US Food and Drug Administration (1U01FD005232-01) | Physiologically based biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics of drug products for dermal absorption in humans | USD $600,000 | 2014 – 2018 | |
| Roberts MS | US Food and Drug Administration (1U01FD005226-01) | Characterisation of critical quality attributes for semisolid topical drug products | USD $1,499,500 | 2014 – 2019 | |
| Nann T, Voelcker NH, Roberts MS | South Australian Collaboration Pathways Program | Nanotechnology based delivery and response systems | SA Government | $600,000 | 2014 – 2017 |
| Xu ZP, Zvyagin A, Roberts MS | ARC (DP120104792) | Skin penetration of nanoparticles promoted by particle design, formulation and application method | Discovery Grant | $360,000 | 2012 - 2014 |
| Kendall MA, Frazer IH, Roberts MS, Ambrosi DC | ARC (DP1093281) | Improving immune response to vaccines by selective targeting of epithelial regions with the Nanopatch | Discovery Grant | $825,000 | 2010 - 2012 |
Please refer to page 53 of the BHI Research Report 2019.
| Collaborator | Position | Institution | City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Professor Sandra Peake | The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Professor Guy Maddern | The University of Adelaide & TQEH | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Professor John Horowitz | The University of Adelaide & TQEH | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Professor John Turnbridge | The University of Adelaide & TQEH | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Professor Nico Voelcker | The University of South Australia | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Professor Enzo Lombi | The University of South Australia | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Dr Des Williams | The University of South Australia | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Dr Michael Wiese | The University of South Australia | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Dr Rietie Venter | The University of South Australia | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Professor Craig Priest | The University of South Australia | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Professor Janna Morrison | The University of South Australia | Adelaide | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Darren Roberts | Australian National University & Canberra Hospital | Canberra | Australia | |
| Dr Suzanne Smith | Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation | Sydney | Australia | |
| Professor Heather Benson | Curtin University | Perth | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Yuri Anissimov | Griffith University | Brisbane, Gold Coast | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Andrei Zvyagin | Macquarie University | Sydney | Australia | |
| Professor Geoff Isbister | University of Newcastle & Calvary Mater Hospital | Newcastle | Australia | |
| Professor Nick Buckley | University of New South Wales | Sydney | Australia | |
| Professor Zoltan Endre | University of New South Wales | Sydney | Australia | |
| Professor Mark Kendall | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Darrell Crawford | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Ian Frazer | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Jeff Grice | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Associate Professor ZhiPing Xu | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Sanjoy Paul | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Dr Tarl Prow | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Rod Minchin | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Michael Monteiro | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Graeme Macdonald | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Lawrence Gahan | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Jonathan Fawcett | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Dr Linda Fletcher | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Dr Darren Martin | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor DX Ambrosi | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Jeff Lipman | University of Queensland & Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Jason Roberts | University of Queensland & Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital | Brisbane | Australia | |
| Professor Andrew Dawson | University of Sydney | Sydney | Australia | |
| Associate Professor Luis Vitetta | University of Sydney | Sydney | Australia | |
| Professor Gordon Flynn | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | USA | |
| Professor Robert Hoffman | University of California | San Diego | USA | |
| Professor Howard Maibach | University of California | San Diego | USA | |
| Professor Peter So | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Cambridge | USA | |
| Professor Majella Lane | University College London (UCL) | London | UK | |
| Professor Steven Abbott | University of Leeds | Leeds | UK | |
| Professor Klaus Suhling | Kings College | London | UK | |
| Professor Hamid Moghimi | Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science | Tehran | Iran | |
| Professor Frank Burczynski | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg | Canada | |
| Professor Gabriel Wittum | Gothe University | Frankfurt | Germany | |
| Dr Paul Lehman | Head, Transdermal Services | Quest Pharmaceutical Services | Newark | USA |
| Professor Maike Windbergs | University of Saarland | Saarbrucken | Germany | |
| Professor Vania Leite de Silva | Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo | Sao Paulo | Brazil | |
| Dr Frank Sinner | Deputy Director | Joanneum Research | Graz | Austria |
| Professor Rezvi Sheriff | University of Colombo | Colombo | Sri Lanka | |
| Professor Thomas Nann | Victoria University of Wellington | Wellington | New Zealand | |
