Dane O. Kildsig
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The mission of the Center for Pharmaceutical Process Research is to foster an interdisciplinary approach to pharmaceutical processing-related research, to catalyze interaction between industrial and academic scientists, and to make the application of a basic science approach to formulation and manufacture of drug products an integral part of graduate pharmaceutical education.
Dr. Rodolfo Pinal, Director
Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy
575 Stadium Mall Drive, Room 124C
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2091
PH: 765-496-6247
FAX: 765-494-6545
pinal@pharmacy.purdue.edu
Dr. Gregory Knipp, Associate Director
Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy
IPPH Annex, Rm. 119A, 1205 Kent Ave
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2091
PH: 765-463-1989, Ext. 112
FAX: 765-497-7290
gknipp@pnhs.purdue.edu
Dr. Evone Ghaly, Site Director
Pharmaceutical Sciences Department
University of Puerto Rico
PH: (787) 758-2525 ext. 5417
eghaly@rcm.upr.edu
Dr. Michael J. Pikal, Site Director
School of Pharmacy
University of Connecticut
PH: (860) 486-3202
michael.pikal@uconn.edu
Dr. Raj G. Suryanarayanan, Site Director
School of Pharmacy
University of Minnesota
PH: 612-624-9626
surya001@umn.edu
In the early 1980’s, the National Science Foundation established the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program to encourage cooperative research between academia and industry. The goal of the program was to establish research centers of excellence in critical areas of technology. These centers would be located at universities and staffed principally by faculty and student researchers, who would cooperate closely with scientists and engineers at partner companies and government agencies.
The idea behind the Center is simple. Industrial researchers provide guidance and feedback, funding, some cooperative research, and “real world” experience to help academic researchers. The university researchers contribute their time and resources, using primarily the research facilities of their university, to conduct investigations into topics that the companies and agencies are not able, or willing, to devote their internal resources toward. In addition, university researchers often have the opportunity to explore ideas they otherwise might not be able to investigate.
The Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research, founded in 1995, is one of over 50 such Centers established by NSF, and the only one devoted to pharmaceutical processing research. The Center comprises four Universities: Purdue, the University of Connecticut (Site Director: Dr. Michael J. Pikal), the University of Minnesota (Site Director: Dr. Raj G. Suryanarayanan) and the University of Puerto Rico (Site Director: Dr. Evone Ghaly) Participating Purdue faculty include members of the Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, and the School of Health Sciences. Participating faculty from the University of Connecticut are associated with the School of Pharmacy, faculty participants from the University of Minnesota are from the School of Pharmacy, and faculty participants from the University of Puerto Rico include Pharmacy, Chemistry, and Chemical Engineering.
The organizational structure of the Center consists of a Center Director, an Industrial Advisory Board (IAB), a University Policy Board, and a Center Evaluator. The Center Director is the liaison between member companies and the university administration, and manages Center research activities. The Industrial Advisory Board, consisting of one member from each participating company, establishes research priorities, provides input to increase the industrial relevance of research proposals, and approves spending. The IAB meets twice yearly. The University Policy Board assures that faculty development is not adversely affected by Center participation and that graduate student research is appropriate for the degree objective. The Center Evaluator reports to the Program Director and is responsible for administration of several vehicles designed to measure the quality of the industry/university interaction.
The Center has excellent labatories and equipment available for research and development. A list of available equipment is found here.
