Education:

• 2011: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 2007: Master of Pharmacy (M Pharm) (Awarded with Distinction): Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 2002: Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm (Hons)): Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Experience:

• October 2013 to date (Full-Time): The Centre for High Performance Computing, Meraka Institute and the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) Centre of Excellence in Nanomedicine, Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa
• March 2013 – September 2013 (Full-Time): Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform (WADDP), ANDI Centre of Excellence in Advanced Drug Delivery Technology, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
• Dec 2008 – Feb 2013 (Full-Time): Hillbrow Regional Pharmacy, Central Wits Regions, Department of Health and Social Development, Gauteng Provincial Government, Johannesburg, South Africa

Patent Applications:

1. Reddy Deshika, Adeleke Oluwatoyin Ayotomilola, Pillay Viness and Choonara Yahya. Transmucosal delivery system:
   • United States patent application US 20120003316 A1, application number: 12/999911, filed on June 3, 2009 and published on January 5, 2012
   • European patent application EP20090766176, application number: EP 2306981, filed on June 3, 2009 and published on April 13, 2011
2. Oluwatoyin Ayotomilola Kolawole, Viness Pillay and Yahya Essop Choonara. Polyamide rate-modulated monolithic drug delivery system:
   • United States Patent, Patent Number: US 8,277,841 B2, Date of Patent: Oct. 2, 2012
   • South African complete patent application 2008/01723 filed on November 23, 2006

PhD Candidate and Fulbright Research Scholar 2013 at the Michniak-Kohn lab. group

Research interests:

• Fabrication and characterization of biopolymer-based edible films.

Current research:

Using non-invasive spectroscopic methods for chemical characterization of polymer-based edible films. Of particular interest are the microstructures of the films and the presence of water and how these parameters relate to drying processes and also the resulting mechanical strength of the films.

Background:

• PhD Student in Engineering Science, Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocess Engineering, School of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Experience:

• Research Assistant – Intracellular Traffic and Signaling Laboratory at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (Santiago, Chile).
• Research Assistant – Nucleotides Laboratory at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (Santiago, Chile).
• B.S. Biochemistry- University Austral of Chile (Valdivia, Chile).

Scholarships for doctoral internship:

Vicerrectoría Académica de Investigación

Publications:

• Norambuena A, Palma F, Poblete MI, Donoso MV, Pardo E, González A, Huidobro-Toro JP. “UTP controls cell surface distribution and vasomotor activity of the human P2Y2 receptor through an epidermal growth factor receptor-transregulated mechanism”. Journal of Biological Chemistry. (2010); 285, 2940–50.

International Summer student

Education:

• Pharmacy-Biochemistry Undergraduate at School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto – University of São Paulo (USP). Project in Scientific Iniciation: Development of a topical pharmaceutical formulation containing glycoalkaloids extract of Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil.
• Awarded a Scholarship from University of São Paulo to spend three months in the Summer of 2014 conducting scientific research at the Center for Dermal Research CDR at Rutgers in the area of siRNA delivery to skin.

Research interests:

• Drug delivery, development of cosmetics, and use of natural products in skin.

Education:

• Graduation in Farmácia· (1989-1993) Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto.
• Masters in Fármaco Medicamento (1995 – 1997) Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto.
• Ph.D. in Ciências Farmacêuticas (1998 – 2000) Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto.
• Postdoctorate (2008) Universidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas.

Experience:

• Professor at the Methodist University of Piracicaba – UNIMEP, Brazil (1998 -2010) Professor at the Campinas State University, UNICAMP, Brazil (2007)
• Professor at the Federal University of São Paulo, Campus Diadema – UNIFESP, Brazil (since 2010)
• Professor at the Federal University of São Paulo, Campus São Paulo – UNIFESP, Brazil (since 2012)

Research Interests:

• Optimization of topical, transdermal and buccal drug delivery; development of novel permeation models
• Liquid Crystal
• Design and testing of novel formulations for topical and transdermal drug delivery including micro-and nano-carrier systems
• Physical approaches to enhancing dermal drug delivery: iontophoresis, microneedles as well as formulation optimization
• Visualization of drug transport pathways in skin using Raman, Fourier Transform Infra-Red
• Spectroscopy, electron and confocal microscopy
• Development of novel human tissue cultured skin equivalents for permeability testing

Engineering student in Biology

Education:

• 2013 / Current – Studies at the Polytechnic School, University of Nice Sophia-­‐Antipolis, France, 3rd and 4th year of the Bioengineering Degree
• 2010 / 1013 – Preparatory classes in Paris, France. Three years undergraduate intensive course in chemistry, physics and mathematics
• 2010 French baccalaureate diploma in Sciences, France, awarded with honours

Education:

• University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio August 2014 – May 2015, Non- degree international student, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brazil Scientific Mobility Program, fully-funded scholarship recipient
• University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, Intensive English Student, non-degree international student March 2014 – July 2014, Brazil Scientific Mobility Program, fully-funded scholarship recipient
• Maringá State University, Maringá, Parana, Brazil Expected Graduation: 2016, Bachelor of Science, Pharmacy

Projects/Research:

• Scientific Research Project: In Vitro Evaluation of Sun Protection Factor of Emulsions Containing Extract of Nectandra falcifolia, Maringa State University August 2012 – July 2013
  • Developed topical emulsions containing extract of N. falcifolia
  • Evaluated the sun protection activity of topical emulsions containing extract of N. facifolia by spectrophotometry, according to Mansur methodology (1986), with modifications
  • Determined the SPF of the emulsions developed and evaluated their accelerated stability
• Teaching project: Theoretical and Practical Studies in Microbiology, Maringa State University
  • Experienced basics lab practices in microbiology March 2011 – September 2011
  • Research assistance