Get to know Gerard See, pharmaceutical scientist1) What do you do?I am a pharmacist currently workin

Get to know Gerard See, pharmaceutical scientist

1) What do you do?

I am a pharmacist currently working on my post-doctoral research on the development of monolithic type (novel silicone-based adhesives) of patches for transdermal delivery of medicines. 

I completed my PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Josai University in Saitama, Japan. As part of my research, we established the usefulness of lower eyelid skin as a new route to administer drugs. Together with a physical method, iontophoresis (voltage-aided drug delivery), delivery of drugs into the eyes and surrounding tissues was dramatically enhanced. Drugs were found to distribute well in the posterior chamber of the eyes, a feat previously regarded to be difficult for most conventional forms of ophthalmic products. This a promising discovery which could allow reduction of side effects associated with the use of eye drops while prolonging drug action in the eyes. New pharmaceutical products (e.g., lower eyelid patch, hydrogels) are poised to be developed with this new route of administration. Convenient use or application of ophthalmic medicines even at sleep can now be possible!

With skin as the largest organ in the body, and with the technologies available allowing sustained and pain-free drug delivery, it probably holds the greatest potential as gateway for drug administration to our body.

2) Where do you work? 

I am currently a post-doctoral fellow at Josai University in Saitama, Japan. O plan to return to the Philippines and establish research in drug development for skin-based delivery of pharmaceuticals. I am also a visiting lecturer at the University of San Carlos where I train graduate students in pharmacy research.  

3) Tell us about the photos

[Left:] Performing characterization (particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential) of the formulations I developed using a “particle sizer”. Particle size is an important factor in the delivery of drug molecules to their specific biophase targets.

[Right:]From a trip to the coastal town of Kamakura famed for its Great Buddha. Kamakura is a small city sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan.

4) Tell us about your academic career paths so far

I completed both my Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Pharmacy at the University of San Carlos, finishing as Magna cum laude. Then, I joined the Laboratory of Pharmaceutics and Cosmeceutics of Josai University for my research training and earned my PhD degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences.