Understanding and exploiting the sex-specific effects of pharmaceutical excipients

Details

Emerging research is increasingly showing that pharmaceutical excipients, traditionally considered to be “inactive” ingredients within medicines, can have important biological effects, influencing how drugs are absorbed in the body. Interestingly, these effects can differ between males and females, as shown through over two decades of research within our group. Considering that males and females each represent around half the population, these findings present exciting opportunities to better understand and improve how medicines work across these patient groups.

This PhD project will focus on investigating the sex-specific effects of pharmaceutical excipients on oral drug response. The project will explore how commonly used excipients influence key biological processes involved in drug absorption, with the aim of exploiting these effects to develop more effective sex-specific oral medicines. The successful applicant will receive training in all relevant areas, including in vitro and in vivo studies, advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, and computational tools.

Upon starting, the PhD candidate will join a world-renowned research group, supervised by Professor Abdul W. Basit, with multiple decades of academic and commercial experience in inventing and commercialising medicines. The project will be based at University College London (UCL), a top 10 University in the 2026 QS World Rankings, within the vibrant and welcoming School of Pharmacy. During their project, the PhD researcher will have access to gold-standard facilities and resources, with strong mentorship, support and frequent career development opportunities. The project will also involve collaborations with international academic and industry partners, as well as interdisciplinary teams including pharmacists, data scientists and engineers.

Applications

Applicants should be enthusiastic about research and be keen to work at the interface of biopharmaceutics, advanced drug delivery technologies and computational approaches to develop sex-specific oral medicines. The ideal candidate should have (or expect to achieve) a bachelor’s degree or relevant master’s qualification in Pharmacy, Biomedical sciences, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Biology or a related discipline. Prior lab experience and known of Data Science will be valued. In vivo and in vitro lab experience are desirable but not essential. A good level of spoken and written English is essential. Applications are welcomed from both UK and overseas candidates. To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to a.basit@ucl.ac.uk.