Cardiff University’s microneedles research team guest edit the Journal of Controlled Release

Professor James Birchall and Dr Sion Coulman from Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, together with Dr Marie McGrath and Dr Mark Prausnitz, have guest edited a Special Issue of the Journal of Controlled Release which focuses on the advances of microneedle technology.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01683659/265

It comes after the fourth International Conference on Microneedles was co-hosted by Cardiff University and GSK at GSK House in London, in May 2016.

Over the past two decades, Professor Birchall and his team have been at the forefront of the research into the creation and development of microneedles - miniature needles which allow drugs or other materials to be administered directly into skin, or allow fluid to be extracted from the body, virtually pain free.

Professor Birchall and his colleagues established the first dedicated International Conference on Microneedles in 2010.  It aimed to provide a forum for the academic and industrial community to share research progress, network and educate the next generation of scientists working in the field.

Following that first meeting, held in Atlanta, USA, the Conference has grown and this Special Issue of the Journal of Controlled Release, entitled ‘Challenges and Advances in Microneedle Technology’ captures some of the research outputs arising from delegates attending the most recent International Conference on Microneedles in May last year.

The opening and closing articles within this Special Issue have also been submitted by Professor Birchall and Dr Sion Coulman and they provide an insight into their own research projects which use microneedle technology.

Speaking of the invitation to guest edit the publication, Dr Coulman said ‘When the Microneedle community came together at the International Conference last year, it was inspiring to hear what progress has been made in this field.'

For more information, read the full Microneedle Special Issue of the Journal of Controlled Release.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01683659/265