Roberts Group - Research

Bioequivalence of topical products: elucidating the sensorial and functional characteristics of compositionally different topical formulations

This research, funded by the United States Food and Drug Administration, is elucidating the relationship between a topical semisolid drug product's quality attributes and its functional properties. A specific purpose is to elucidate how characterizations of the arrangement of matter, including rheology (e.g., texture analysis, tribology) may correlate with and/or be predictive of sensorial differences perceived by human subjects (or patients).

Bioequivalence of topical products: elucidating the thermodynamic and functional characteristics of compositionally different topical formulations

A second project, also funded by the United States Food and Drug Administration and involving collaborations in UniSA, the US, UK, Europe and Brazil, seeks to elucidate how systematic alterations to the qualitative and/or quantitative composition of topical formulations impacts their physical, structural, and functional properties.

Physiologically based pharmacokinetics of topical products in normal and diseased skin

A third project, also funded by the United States Food and Drug Administration and involving collaborations in UniSA, the US, UK, Poland and with the software company Certara seeks to understand and predict how systematic alterations to the qualitative and/or quantitative composition of topical formulations and the nature of the skin (including differences in age, body site, disease and environment) affect the absorption, effects and safety of topically applied products.

Physiologically-based pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of therapeutic stem cells for liver disease

This project will investigate the fate and therapeutic effects of natural, modified and artificial therapeutic cells in the body and in to diseased livers using a physiologically-based kinetic model. The key goal is to advance cell therapy by providing a beter understanding and dosing guidelines.

Efficacious targeting of therapeutic stem cells to diseased livers

This project aims to efficiently deliver natural, surface-modified stem cells and cell-derived vesicles to diseased livers.

Early prediction of chemotherapy efficacy in liver cancer by a novel nanoplatform

This project aims to develop a novel technology to accurately measure the tumor microenvironment during chemotherapy, and to explore the correlation between this potential predictor and tumor growth.

Regulatory, nano- and clinical toxicology studies

These studies involve understanding, avoiding and managing toxicity arising from environmental, occupational and accidential exposure to poisons and nanomaterials, from overdosing of medicines and required for regulation of consumer products.

Student projects

• Mechanistic and Comparative toxicity of Commercial Essential Oils (Dr Xin Liu, Professor Andrew Batholomeus). An Agrifutures Australia top up stipend will be given to a successful student awarded a University Australian Postgraduate Award.
• Bioequivalence of topical products (Dr Yousuf Mohammed, Dr Sarika Namjoshi, Dr Jeff Grice, Dr Xin Liu, Prof Michael Roberts). Several student projects available. A US FDA top up stipend will be given to a successful student awarded a University Australian Postgraduate Award.