Dr. Uloma Ubani-Ukoma

I am an academic and researcher in the Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Nigeria. My interest is in the design of innovative medicines for the treatment, management, and prevention of ocular diseases and age-appropriate dosage forms for pediatrics. As an academic pharmacist, researcher, and formulation scientist with years of hospital, teaching, and research experience, I understand the depth of challenges patients with ocular infections face and the treatment options available to them. I am also deeply familiar with the limitations of existing treatment options and have gained much knowledge exploring the use of novel techniques and formulations for the treatment of ocular diseases using in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo methods. My research has investigated the use of antibiotic-loaded contact lenses (CLs) in the treatment of bacterial keratitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus pathogens using an ex vivo rabbit corneoscleral infection model developed by my group. The success of this work was confirmed in preclinical studies in collaboration with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital Guinness Eye Center. My group also investigates the use of stimuli-response polymers and electrospun nanofibers in the formulation of controlled release medications for sustained release of ocular medications. Other research interests are in the design of age-appropriate dosage forms to improve pediatric patient adherence to therapy.