Dr Tamara Zwain

Tamara has attained her BSc in Pharmacy in 2008. This allowed her to gain a wide clinical background with many years of experience in clinical fieldwork overseas, management, and supervision of newly pharmacy graduate students.

In 2019, Tamara started her postdoctoral Research Associate at our School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences. She was then appointed as Associate Lecturer in pharmaceutics. Tamara worked on several patented industry projects collaborating with a Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies. She also taught undergraduate and postgraduate students at various levels on various subjects.

Tamara is appointed a module lead for two modules in MSc taught course (Drug Discovery and Development). Tamara is skilled in teaching and project management. Tamara is currently working on designing nano-based formulations for cancer treatment by using phytochemicals (plant-based compounds) to evaluate if they have any anti-cancer activity. Tamara is also leading a research group to design selective targeted therapy using Aptamers, antibodies, etc to investigate their ability to enhance the drug/plant-based compounds brain permeation.

In addition, Tamara supervised students at different levels and qualifications, for undergraduate projects in biology/physiology and pharmacology courses, MSc taught course (Drug Design and Discovery), MSc by research and PhD students.

Tamara believes that teaching and research are a mission. This is not only about conveying what is in the books but is also about transferring knowledge and sharing experiences with students and fellow researchers in the best way possible.

Tamara's experience

Industry

• Granulation, capsules and tablet preparation, quality control tests for tablets (Dissolution using USP Dissolution Apparatus 2, friability using Dual drum friability tester and hardness) are amongst others.
• Designing various dosage forms, nanoparticles, development and optimisation of formulations by factorial design.
• Expert in producing various types of nanoparticles (Hybrid, protein (Albumin), solid and liquid lipid-based nanoparticles, nanosuspension and nanostructured lipid carrier, nanoparticles composing of biocompatible and biodegradable materials).
• Nanoparticle preparation using various techniques (Panda PLUS 2000 and Nano de bee High Pressure Homogenizers, and high-speed homogeniser probe sonication).
• Surface modification of nanoparticles with ligands (aptamers, antibodies and fatty acids).
• Validation of surface-modified formulation with aptamers, antibodies, peptides and various other ligands.
• Evaluation of surfactant and lipids for nanoparticle development.

Physicochemical characterisation

• Nanoparticle size characterisations using (Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), Zeta sizer)
• Scanning electron microscope (SEM), SEM/EDS (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy), Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
• Colorimetric assays using the spectrophotometer.
• Evaluation of in-vitro drug release pattern.
• Freeze drying nanoparticles and other compounds to produce free flow powder.

Analytical expertise

• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method development.
• Quantification and extraction of compounds from nanoparticles and biological matrix.
• Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for analysis and quantification.

Biological experience

• In-vitro cell culture using 2D and 3D models (handled around 20 cell models originated from patient-derived short-term culture, primary cell lines and immortalised cell lines).
• Development of 3D tumour spheroids, screening compounds and nanoparticles in the 3D spheroids model.
• Expert in setting mono, co- and tri-culture from variable cell lines.
• Sub-culturing cell lines and relevant techniques.
• Cell biology (cell treatment, viability/toxicity/safety assessments, nanoparticles mitochondrial activity (seahorse), nanoparticles uptake and internalisation, apoptosis and other assays) by using plate reader, flow cytometer, fluorescence and confocal microscopy.
• Pathway study and cell cycle analysis for variable compounds.

3D in-vitro Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) model, developing novel techniques

• Expert in setting 3D models from primary human cell lines.
• Developing and evaluating the permeability and uptake in a 3D in-vitro tumour-BBB model developed from a patient-derived short-term culture, primary and immortalised cell lines.
• Aptamers, nanoparticle and compound screening in the model using the ohm meter and HPLC.
• Permeability and active transport evaluation for nanoparticles and other compounds.
• Efflux study in the model for nanoparticles and other compounds.