TITLE (PROF/DR/): DR.

NAME: ULOMA UBANI-UKOMA

POSITION: SENIOR LECTURER                             SPECIALISATION: DRUG DELIVERY & FORMULATION

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Personal Statement

“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.”

Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honours

Positions

2023 –              Senior Lecturer, Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy,                                       University of Lagos, Nigeria.

2014 – 2023    Lecturer 1, Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University                             of Lagos, Nigeria.

2010 – 2011    Hospital Pharmacist, General Hospital Broad Street Lagos, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Lagos,                            Nigeria

Scientific Appointments

2025 –              Facultyof Pharmacy, E-learning Officer

2021 – 2023    Faculty Examination Officer, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

2020 – 2023    Departmental E-learning Officer, Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, University                             of Lagos, Nigeria.

2019 –              Financial Secretary, Fulbright Alumni Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter.

2019 – 2021    Departmental Examination Officer, Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology,                                           University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Honors

2025                Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Collaborative Research Grant Fellowship

2023 – 2024    Postdoctoral fellow, School of Pharmacy, University College London, United Kingdom

2023                Tertiary Education Trust Fund Award, Federal Government of Nigeria

2022                Developing Country Eye Research Fellow (DCERF) Travel Award, Association for Research in Vision and                                 Ophthalmology (ARVO)

2022                Lagos State Research and Innovation Council Award (LASRIC) grant

2020                Best Oral Presentation Award in Pharmaceutics, Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA)                               conference.

2017 – 2018    Fulbright Fellowship Award, University of Florida, United States of America

2017                University of Lagos PhD grant support

2016                Association of African Universities (AAU) Grant for Thesis

Selected Most Recent Publications /Contributions to Knowledge

• Ubani-Ukoma U.N., Eniseyin O.A., Oyewale O.J., Nwankwo P.A. (2024): Formulation and characterization of stimuli-responsive in situ gel for the treatment of bacterial keratitis. Nigerian `journal of `pharmaceutical Research 20(2): 185 – 195. DOI:10.4314/njpr.v20i2.7
• Ubani-Ukoma U.N., Egbo J.I., Ezimoha J.C., Oluwole T.O., Ilomuanya M.O., Silva B.O. (2022): Evaluation of the therapeutic effectiveness and sustained release capacity of levofloxacin loaded silicone hydrogel contact lenses. African Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development 14(2): 119 – 127.
• Ubani-Ukoma U., Chauhan A., Schultz G., Gibson D.J. (2020): An ex vivo corneal model. MethodsX. 7: 100876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2020.100876
• Ubani-Ukoma, U., Gibson, D., Schultz, G., Olanrewaju Silva, B., & Chauhan, A. (2019). Evaluating the potential of drug eluting contact lenses for treatment of bacterial keratitis using an ex vivo corneal model. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 565(January), 499–508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2019.05.031

Collaborators/ Networks (International inclusive)

• Uday Kompella, University of Colorado, Aurora, USA
• Duncan Craig, University of Bath, United Kingdom
• Maryam Parhizkar, University College London, United Kingdom
• Olufisayo Aribaba, Guinness Eye Center, University of Lagos, Nigeria
• Prof. Anuj Chauhan, Colorado School of Mines, USA.