Drug Delivery and Nanomedicines Research Group

Main Research Focus and other areas of research interest of the RG: The main research focus of the RG is development of novel drug delivery systems (novel conventional systems and nanomedicines, etc.) of drugs for the treatment of tropically neglected diseases, poverty-related diseases and other infectious diseases. It also includes repurposing of drugs through application of nanotechnology and other novel drug delivery technologies and strategies. Other research interests of the RG include formulation and evaluation of phytopharmaceuticals, probiotics and herbal medicines; drug discovery and development and development of excipients from natural sources for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical applications; drugs/medicines/herbal medicines/water quality assurance and control; pharmaceutical microbiology and biotechnology.

 

Title of most recent research project: Development and Optimization of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Coated with Chitosan and Poly(2-Ethyl-2-Oxazoline) for the Ocular Delivery of Ciprofloxacin.

 

Selected other current or completed research projects

  • Liposomal delivery of artemether and doxycycline.
  • Development of mosquito repellent nanogels of some natural volatile oils
  • Design and characterisation of intranasally administered nanostructured lipid carriers and chitosan-based thermosensitive gels of artesunate and quinine as treatment for severe and cerebral malaria.
  • Isolation, characterization, and identification of potential probiotic candidates from indigenous animal and plant-based sources.
  • Molecular characterisation of endophytic fungi from Annona senegalensis Pers and chemical composition and bioactives of their metabolites.
  • Molecular characterization of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in probiotics isolated from some traditional functional foods.Production of prodigiosin from Serratia marcescens and development of its parenteral nanoparticles and creams targeted against triple-negative breast, lung and skin cancers

 

Name of the Coordinator: Prof. Anthony A. Attama, FAS

UNN email address of the RG: anthony.attama@unn.edu.ng

UNN email address of the Coordinator: anthony.attama@unn.edu.ng

Current webpage of the RG:

UNN email address of RG: ddn.rg@unn.edu.ng

Phone number of the RG: 08036618204

Phone number of the Coordinator: 08036618204

Base Faculty/Institute/Center of the RG: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Department of the Coordinator: Pharmaceutics

 

 

Headshot of the Coordinator

List of members and brief intro

  • Anthony A. Attama:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=PKTI5ggAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F7QUiCJSCpfPXDO_VU5JrTxxH1p6Aq02XCLx0J5D6IDuOQV57s2hE_LUlMKfrN7-eC5l4zGsMuILCiZowkfwksJGscEcJHAxWxZUYXbRJVKq8RwZdw

  • Petra O. Nnamani:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=tyI9YhYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Mumuni A. Momoh:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Fuw0CKYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Ebele B. Onuigbo:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=oKApprgAAAAJ&hl=en

  • Paul A. Akpa:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=msT7DHcAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Franklin C. Kenechukwu:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=s87G-ucAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • John D. N. Ogbonna:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7OvQGb0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Salome A. Chime:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=WcG5He8AAAAJ

  • Chukwuemeka C. Mbah:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FVpimEsAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Chinazom P. Agbo:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jy3wsBUAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Joy N. Reginald-Opara:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=QyWr-qgAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Calister E. Ugwu:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=r_7rsycAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Adaeze L. Onugwu:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zKmsBCkAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Adaeze C. Echezona:
  • Chinekwu S. Nwagwu:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Q3bXtCoAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra

  • Samuel W. Uzondu:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EDFFBtcAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Ezinwanne Ezeibe:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Xs4ndFQAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra

  • Dinebari P. Berebon:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TOaaUS4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Thaddeus H. Gugu:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=c9XmMv0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Philip F. Uzor:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FHu2YR8AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

  • Chizoba A. Ozioko
  • Somtochukwu Amauche Evurani
  • Stephen C. Emencheta

 

10 publications

  • Adaeze Linda Onugwu et al (2023). Nanotechnology based drug delivery systems for the treatment of anterior segment eye diseases. Journal of Controlled Release 354 (2023) 465–488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.01.018
  • John Dike N et al (2022). Overcoming challenges in pediatric formulation with a patient-centric design approach. Pharmaceuticals 15, 1331. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15111331.
  • Attama A.A et al., Nnamani P.O., Onokala O.B., Ugwu A.A. and Onugwu A.L. (2022), Nanogels as target drug delivery systems in cancer therapy: A review of the last decade. Frontiers in Pharmacolology 13:874510. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.874510.
  • Adaeze L. Onugwu et al (2022). Development and optimization of solid lipid nanoparticles coated with chitosan and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) for ocular drug delivery of ciprofloxacin. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology. 74, 103527 Online. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103527
  • Nnamani P. et al. (2022). Gentamicin nanogel films based on carrageenan-prosopis africana for improved wound healing. Precision Nanomedicine,879–896.
  • Emencheta S.C., Eze C.C., Attama A.A., Agbo D.E. and Onuigbo E.B. (2021). Isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages from wastewaters. Hosts and Viruses, 8(6): 1-6. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.hv/2021/8.6.1.6
  • Agbo C.P., Ugwuanyi T.C., Ugwuoke W.I., McConville C., Attama A.A. and Ofokansi K.C. (2021). Intranasal artesunate-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers: A convenient alternative to parenteral formulations for the treatment of severe and cerebral malaria. Journal of Controlled Release 334(10), 224-236 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.04.020. (Thomson Reuters IF = 7.727).
  • Onugwu A.L., Agbo C.P., …… Attama A.A.* (2021). Development of lipid-based microsuspensions for improved ophthalmic delivery of gentamicin sulphate. Therapeutic Delivery (Epub ahead of print). DOI: 10.4155/tde-2021-0039. (SJR = 0.62).
  • Nnamani P.O et al (2021). Formulation and evaluation of transdermal nanogel for delivery of artemether. Drug Delivery and Translational Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-021-00951-4. (Thomson Reuters IF = 2.664).
  • Momoh M.A., Kenechukwu F.C., Ofokansi K.C., Attama A.A. and Díaz D.D. (2020). Insulin-loaded mucoadhesive nanoparticles based on mucin-chitosan complexes for oral delivery and diabetes treatment. Carbohydrate Polymers, 229, 115506 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115506.