Principles of Research Methodology and Ethics in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Pharmaceutical researchers are constantly looking for drug products, drug delivery systems and devices for improving the health of society. A scientific and systematic search for new knowledge requires a thorough understanding of research methods and hypothesis design. This volume presents pharmaceutical research through theoretical concepts, methodologies and ethical issues. It fulfils publication ethics course work requirements for students. Chapters have been designed to cater for the curriculum requirements of universities globally. This serves as a guide on how to apply concepts in designing experiments and transforming laboratory research into actual practice.

Features:

• Complete coverage of research methodology courses for graduate and postgraduate students globally
• Step-by-step assistance in writing technical reports, projects, protocols, theses and dissertations
• Experimental designing in pharmaceutical formulation development and preclinical research designs
• Ethics in using animals in preclinical research and humans in clinical research
• Publication ethics, best practices and guidelines for ensuring ethical writing
• Hypothetical and real-world case studies on ethical issues and measures for prevention and control

Dr. Vikas Anand Saharan

Dr. Vikas Anand Saharan is an Associate Professor and is In-charge of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology (Formulations), NIPER-Guwahati, Assam, India. Additionally, he has been entrusted with the responsibility of Academic Coordinator at NIPER-Guwahati.

He holds a master’s degree from NIPER SAS Nagar and obtained his Ph.D. from Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur. Dr. Saharan achieved an impressive score of 97.30 percentile in GATE 1999, ranking 74th in the All India examination. His educational accomplishments extend beyond his primary degrees. Dr. Saharan has pursued additional qualifications, including a Certificate Course in IPR, PG Diploma in Patent Laws, and PG Diploma in Pharma Regulatory Affairs.

He has 22 years of teaching and research experience. His research areas include formulation development, optimization, QbD, particle engineering (nano/microparticles), taste masking, taste assessment, fast dissolving/disintegrating dosage forms, and oral drug delivery. He has a rich supervisory experience, having guided 42 M.Pharm. theses and 2 Ph.D. theses, with ongoing supervision of 4 Ph.D. scholars. His contributions to the field are evidenced by his extensive publications, including 4 books, 19 book chapters, and 62 papers in renowned national and international journals. He serves as an editorial board member for several esteemed international journals and actively participates in peer-review. Dr. Saharan is an esteemed life member of various associations, including APTI, APA-IDMA, LASA, and InPharm Association.

Notably, Dr. Saharan has received the MODROBS grant from AICTE for the Modernization of Pharmaceutics Laboratory at SBSPGI. In 2022, he was honored with the Teacher of the Year Award by Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Honorable Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Additionally, he received the Prof. M.L. Schroff Pharma Recognition Award from Team Pharma Lok and the Honour Award for GATE Guidance from Seth GL Bihani Shiksha Trust, Sri Ganganagar.

Dr. Hitesh Kulhari

Dr. Hitesh Kulhari is an Assistant Professor at the School of Nano Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar. Previously, he worked as Associate Professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology (Formulations) at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Guwahati.

Dr. Kulhari received his Ph.D. degree from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. His research focuses on designing targeted drug delivery systems and pharmaceutical nanotechnology. He has published 73 research articles in peer-reviewed international journals, 19 book chapters and edited 03 books. Dr. Kulhari is a recipient of several awards and research grants including Prof CNR Rao Research Excellence Award in material science in 2015, INSPIRE faculty award from DST, New Delhi in 2015, and Appreciation Award from Cancer Research Foundation, India in 2020. He has more than 13 years of teaching and research experience in pharmaceutical technology, biopharmaceutics, and nanotechnology.

Dr. Hemant Jadhav

Dr. Hemant R Jadhav is presently working as a Professor, at the Department of Pharmacy, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus. He received his Ph.D. degree in the year 2004 from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, India. He has been involved in research for the last 24 years and in teaching for the last 20 years. His research area is Pharmaceutical Chemistry, particularly, the design, synthesis, and evaluation of anti-Alzheimers, anti-cancer, anti-HIV compounds, and compounds for diabetic cardiomyopathy. He has successfully completed several research projects sponsored by DST, UGC, and the industry. Presently, he has a SERB CRG, and an ICMR project as Principal Investigator and is a co-investigator in a DBT BUILDER project worth 9.2 crores. He has supervised seven Ph. D students, and seven students are pursuing Ph.D. under his guidance. He has authored more than 60 research papers and 3 book chapters, as well as his work is presented at more than 50 national and international conferences. He is a member of the Board of studies, a member of the Academic Council, and an external DRC member of various Universities. He also is an expert reviewer of many national and international journals. At BITS Pilani, Pilani campus, he has served in various administrative positions such as Head of the department, Associate dean, Academic Research (Ph. D. Programme) division, and sponsored research and consultancy division for many years.