Expertise

I am an interdisciplinary pharmaceutical researcher with experience in developing injectable drugs (antibodies, small molecules, and nanomedicines). I have significant expertise in the analytical characterization of critical quality attributes for these products and the design of pre-clinical studies for evaluating biological performance (biopharmaceutics).

Equipment Capabilities

My laboratory hosts a Malvern Panalytical NanoSight NS300 and Archimedes Resonant Mass Measurement, which are both used to measure particle size and concentration. If you would be interested in accessing these technologies, please get in touch ([email protected]).

I am also Director for the new EPSRC Multiscale Metrology Suite (modular setup including Field Flow Fractionation, Inductively-coupled mass spectrometry, Light Scattering and Raman) for Next-Generation Health Nanotechnologies (EP/V028960/1). For more information or to access this facility, please get in touch.

Senior Lecturer in Translational Pharmaceutics

I am a pharmacist by training with experience of working within the hospital, community and industry sectors. I have contributed to a diverse molecule portfolio spanning pre-clinical to late-stage development during my time at AstraZeneca and in collaboration with Patrys Ltd at the Yale School of Medicine (PAT-DX1).

My research team has two overall interests;

i) Analytical characterization of parenteral formulation attributes and in vivo performance:

A key challenge in the commercial translation of newly-discovered drugs is understanding the key performance indicating characteristics crucial to their biological performance and how they interact with living systems. We are interested in developing new tools to profile these performance characteristics.

Areas of research interest in my lab are summarized as follows;

• Understanding the environmental and physicochemical determinants of solution-phase formulation stability for antibody and suspension formulations.
• Determining key critical quality attributes in particle design to inform optimal in vivo performance.
• Analytical evaluation of nanomedicine interaction with biological media, and the mechanism of cellular uptake in two- and three-dimensional cellular models. We use the latest in field flow fractionation and orthogonal analytical techniques to probe the interaction between nanomaterials and biofluids. Knowledge of particle parameters altering the biological performance of nanomedicines, can be used to reverse engineer novel biocompatible prototypes.
• Applying novel imaging modalities for evaluating drug and nanoparticle biodistribution, and impact on tumor response.
• The interplay between the tumour microenvironment and nanomedicine in vivo performance with a view to developing biorelevant in vitro tests.

ii) DNA repair agents and the nuclear import pathway, and their role in cancer:

We are interested in screening the functional and phenotypic role of DNA repair mutations. We also develop new small molecule drugs against various nuclear import transporters known to be elevated in cancer. In the fight against cancer, we want to contribute to the discovery of new lifesaving drug treatments.

Public Engagement & Outreach

When not in the lab, I am passionate about improving access to education, achievement and realizing potential for young budding scientists and am open to local STEM and healthcare-related widening participation initiatives. Without the next-generation of scientists and researchers, all the developments made in science to-date would be in vain. 

Our lab also works closely with NHS Lanarkshire, where we have developed a series of patient and public involvement and engagement workshops for those impacted by breast cancer.

External Profile

 In 2024 I was nominated to the University of Strathclyde Court and became academic in residence for the Laboratory of the Government Chemist National Measurement Laboratory, and represent the University of Strathclyde as executive board member at the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Aliiance. I am Fellow of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and an elected member of the RSE Young Academy of Scotland. The work carried out by my team has been recognised by numerous awards including my inclusion in the International Federation of Pharmacy Women in Science and Education rising stars list, Saltire Scotland 40 under 40 list, and the Emerging Scientist Award received by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

I am the Chair of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Science Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products focus group which was launched in fall 2020. I serve on the EPSRC and interdisciplinary assessment college peer review panels.

I am passionate about equity in STEMM and actively seek opportunities to champion scientists from a diversity of backgrounds. If you want to join the Rattray Translational Pharmaceutics lab as a visiting scholar, PhD researcher or fellow please do get in touch!