University of Kent
Medway School of Pharmacy
Dr Vivek Trivedi, Dr Jamie Hsieh, Dr Vadim Sumbayev
Applications accepted all year round
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
About the Project
Poor aqueous solubility, limited stability and inefficient drug delivery remain major challenges in the development of effective medicines. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) offers a versatile platform for engineering pharmaceutical materials, with opportunities to reduce organic solvent use and process materials under relatively mild conditions.
This PhD project will investigate how scCO2 processing can be used to produce formulations with improved pharmaceutical performance. The research will explore the relationships between processing conditions, material properties and drug delivery, generating knowledge to support the development of effective and potentially more sustainable manufacturing approaches.
The scCO2-based projects will focus on:
- Improving the dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs through solid dispersions, inclusion complexes or modification of the solid state.
- Engineering drug-loaded particles and carrier systems for controlled or enhanced drug delivery.
- Investigating how scCO2 processing influences drug-carrier interactions, particle characteristics and formulation stability.
The research programme will involve selecting suitable drugs and excipients, designing and optimising processing conditions, and characterising the resulting formulations. Techniques may include thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, microscopy, particle-size analysis and in vitro drug release testing. Comparisons with conventional preparation methods will help establish the benefits and limitations of supercritical processing.
The project will provide interdisciplinary training in pharmaceutical formulation, high-pressure processing, solid-state characterisation and experimental design. It is suited to candidates interested in connecting fundamental understanding of pharmaceutical materials with practical challenges in medicine development. You will be part of a dynamic environment and vibrant PhD community at Medway School of Pharmacy and the Universities of Kent and Greenwich at Medway Campus. You will have access to modern scCO2 processing capabilities along with all required analytical techniques to carry out the project successfully.
Applicants with a background in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science or a closely related discipline are encouraged to enquire. Previous experience with supercritical fluids is not essential.
As an equal opportunities institution, we welcome applications from all sections of the community. All appointments are made on merit.
Funding
This project is available to self-funded applicants and applicants with external sponsorship.
Enquiries
Email Dr Vivek Trivedi (v.trivedi@kent.acuk) for informal enquiries, including from applicants wishing to discuss a particular research interest within the broader project theme.
References
- Trivedi, V. et al (2026). Preparation of Felodipine–PEG Solid Dispersions by Solvent-Free scCO₂ Processing and Their Translation into Orally Disintegrating Tablets. ACS Omega, 11(7), 12766–12778. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c13416
- Trivedi, V. (2024). Nanoencapsulation of carotenoid extract via the temperature-induced phase transition of triblock polymer in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂). RPS Pharmacy and Pharmacology Reports, 3(1), rqad035. DOI: 10.1093/rpsppr/rqad035
- Trivedi, V. et al (2022). Dissolution Improvement of Progesterone and Testosterone via Impregnation on Mesoporous Silica Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide. AAPS PharmSciTech, 23, 302. DOI: 10.1208/s12249-022-02453-z
- Trivedi, V. (2021). Preparation of Solid Dispersions of Simvastatin and Soluplus Using a Single-Step Organic Solvent-Free Supercritical Fluid Process for the Drug Solubility and Dissolution Rate Enhancement. Pharmaceuticals, 14(9), 846. DOI: 10.3390/ph14090846