Discipline - Physical and Colloidal Chemistry

Professor Popa Lacramioara, PhD tenured
Professor Dinu-Pirvu Cristina-Elena, PhD tenured
Professor Ghica Mihaela-Violeta, PhD tenured
Associate Professor Anuta Valentina, PhD tenured
Head of works Prisada Razvan-Mihai, PhD tenured

In the curricula of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Bucharest, the Department of Chemistry and Physics was introduced in 1942, with the management of the Associate Professor Dumitru Stefanescu. Until the 1948 education reform, they were taught elements of general mathematics. Through the establishment, at that time, of  a separate discipline for  General Mathematics, the Department of Physical Chemistry became independent.

As a result of a considerable development of the chemistry of colloids and of its numerous applications in the field of pharmaceutical sciences, it was necessary an extension of the discipline’s object, by converting into „Physical and Colloidal Chemistry".

Starting with 1993, at the level of the discipline, there were organized specialized modules for residents, and in 2010, due to the dynamic evolution of the pharmaceutical industry, new postgraduate training courses were developed.

The discipline is involved directly in the activity coordinated by the Doctoral School, both through the scientific research methodology module and project management research, also by two doctoral supervisors: Prof. Dr. Lacramioara Popa and Prof. Dr. Cristina Dinu-Pirvu.

Over the time, the discipline management was ensured by:

  • Assistant Professor, Pharm.D, PhD and Chemical Engineer Nicolae Acuchel (1972-1977)
  • Assistant Professor, Pharm.D, PhD Vasilica Antonescu (1977-1987)
  • Professor, Pharm.D,PhD chimist-fizician Stefan Moisescu (1987-2004)
  • Professor of chemistry, PhD Irina Predescu (2004-2009) professor of chemistry
  • Professor, Pharm.D,PhD Lacramioara Popa (2009-present)

Besides the training and development of specialists in the pharmaceutical field, at the level discipline are being developed a range of research themes that conform to the specific field of Health, including:

  • Design, development, physicochemical investigation and quality control of pharmaceutical dosage forms;
  • Harnessing of the potential of medicinal / aromatic plants from the spontaneous flora
  • Quality by Design in proiectarea asistata de calculator a formularilor farmaceutice si al elaborarii unui program structurat, algoritmic de proiectare experimentala si analiza a datelor experimentale;
  • In silicomodeling and molecular design – drug design by using QSAR techniques.
  • Design, development and assessment of physicochemical and biopharmaceutical drug release systems with topical and oral
  • Using statistical and experimental design techniques combined with the methodology of response surface and the Taguchi approach or the optimization of certain technological processes and pharmaceutical products.
  • Development and validation of liquid chromatographic methods for qualitative and quantitative determination from biological medium and correlations in vitro release- in vivo pharmacokinetic using compartmental or physiological methods;
  • Using computer simulation and modeling methods in pharmacokinetic studies and statistical analysis of experimental data (parametric and nonparametric tests).

The discipline of Physical and Colloidal Chemistry (a compulsory subject) is registered in the curricula (the undergraduate program in Pharmacy) during two semesters as follows:

  • The course of Physical and Colloidal Chemistry of the second year (third semester) – includes the fundamentals of electrical, optical, magnetic properties of substances, presenting certain elements of spectroscopy, chemical thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium, physical balance, electrochemistry, cinetic physics and their application in analysis (identification, dosing, etc.) and drug research. It is structured as follows: a two-hour theoretical course and a three-hour laboratory weekly.
  • The course of Physical and Colloidal Chemistry of the second year (forth semester) – includes the application of physical chemistry in the complex field of medicine. They deal with concepts related to chemical kinetics and photochemistry, and the implications on the stability of pharmaceutical forms and the pharmacokinetics of the drug substances in the human body. An important part of the course is the aspect concerning the physical chemistry of the surface and of the colloids with highlights on the issue of solubility, diffusion phenomena, dissolution, disperse systems and, in particular, colloidal systems in pharmacy, rheological and bioreological properties. It is structured as follows a three-hour theoretical course  and a three-hour laboratory weekly.

Both courses have as a form of final assessment: the written examination (descriptive paper supplemented by an oral examination) together with the assessment of the practical activity (eliminatory practical colloquium )

Scientific research methodology – Third Year (fifth semester) compulsory course enrolled in the undergraduate program of Pharmacy. The course provides a modern approach and a systematic justification of the need for scientific research, rigorously designed and planned statistically, but also presenting some general rules for conducting any research process, with applications in the medical and pharmaceutical field. It is structured in an one-hour theoretical couse per week. Final evaluation: theoretical colloquium.

Other activities:

  • Guidance for papers at students’ scientific meetings
  • Coordination of graduation and licence papers
  • Students’ Scientific Circle – First Edition (2015-2016 academic year) brought together 35 participants, students of the years: II, III, IV and V.

At the level of the discipline of Physical and Colloidal Chemistry, theoretical and practical training activities take place, both related to Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Laboratory Specialization, and  the module of medical and pharmaceutical scientific research  Methodology  (1 month, year).

At the level of the Discipline of Physical and Colloidal Chemistry is held annually, a significant number of postgraduate courses addressed to the graduates of pharmacy, pharmacy residents, pharmacy specialists, pharmacy mayors, PhD, doctors in pharmaceutical sciences, academics in training, namely:

  • Biomaterials
  • Medical and pharmaceutical applications
  • Modern methods of pharmaceutical systems design and optimization
  • Lipid vesicles and other colloids as drug transporters

Within the context of the doctorate academic studies programme, at the level of the Discipline of Physical and Colloidal Chemistry are held from 2005 applied courses, activities and annual examination, for the following modules:

  1. Compulsory module for the Methology of scientific research and management of the research programme within the Cycle 1 of advanced training through doctorate.
  2. DL101 optional course – General Course on Intellectual Property, online course offered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO Academy) since 2008. After 2012, it was added to other specialized IP courses for the biomedical field which are monitored by representatives from the discipline teachers.
  1. Preformulation, formulation, optimization, quality control of systems / medication devices
  2. Topical / transdermal pharmaceutical colloidal systems
  3. Experimental statistical design techniques
  4. Biomaterials with medical applications
  5. In vivo – in vitro correlations
  1. PNCDI2 Project(Partnerships Program in priority areas), contract no. 61-037 / 2007 – The development of a QSAR bioinformatic system of activity modeling of the antirheumatic and antitumoral therapy agents in individualized therapies (BIOINFOQSAR), ongoing period: 2007-2010, project coordinated by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila" , Directorof the Project: Assoc. Prof. Lacramioara Popa, PhD
  2. PNCDI2Project (Partnerships Program in priority areas), contract no. 61-024/2007 – Studies concerning the achievement of hormonal transdermal systems using liposomes as vectors of transport and controlled release of the active ingredient (LIPHORM, ongoing period: 2007-2010, project coordinated by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila", Directorof the Project: Assoc. Prof. Cristina-Elena Dinu-Pirvu, PhD.
  3. Postdoctoral Research Project(PN II-RU-PD-2009-1), contract no. 3/28.07.2010 – Modern methods of design and optimization of the topical drug delivery systems with collagenic support, which is useful in the treatment of soft tissue infection, ongoing period: 2010-2012, project coordinated by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila", Directorof the Project:Senior Lecturer Mihaela Violeta Ghica, Phd.
  4. PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4Project(Partnerships Program – Applicative research of collaborative projects), contract no. 176/2014 – Innovative therapeutic products with curative and prophylactic action designed for the zoo veterinary sector (SANOVET), ongoing period: 2014-2016, project coordinated by the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Bucharest, Responsible Partnerof UMF „Carol Davila", Bucuresti:  Cristina-Elena Dinu-Pirvu, Phd.
  5. PN IIProject–Capacities(Module III – Bilateral Cooperation), Cooperation Framework: the Bilateral Cooperation between Romania and China, contract no. 502/18.03.2011 – Drug delivery systems based on natural polymers (POLY-DDS), ongoing period: 2011-2012, project coordinated by the National Institute of Research and Development for Textile and Leather, Branch of the Leather and Footwear Research Institute, BucureAYti, Responsible PartnerofUMF „Carol Davila", Bucuresti: Senior Lecturer Mihaela Violeta Ghica, PhD
  1. V. Ghica, M. Hîrjău, D. Lupuleasa, C.E. Dinu-Pîrvu, Flow and thixotropic parameters for rheological characterization of hydrogels, Molecules2016, 21(6), 786, doi:10.3390/molecules21060786 (IF-2,465/2015).
  2. V. Ghica, M.G. Albu, D.A. Kaya, L. Popa, Ş. Öztürk, L.C. Rusu, C. Dinu-Pîrvu, C. Chelaru, L. Albu, A. Meghea, C. Nitipir, The effect of Lavandula essential oils on release of niflumic acid from collagen hydrolysates, Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering2016, 33(4), 1325-1330, doi: 10.1007/s11814-015-0284-7 (IF-1,408/2015).
  3. T. Tihan, I. Rau, R.G. Zgarian, M.V. Ghica, Collagen-based biomaterials for ibuprofen delivery, Comptes Rendus Chimie2016, 19(3), 390-394, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crci.2015.09.008 (IF-1,798/2015).
  4. Ortan, I. Fierascu, C. Ungureanu, R.C. Fierascu, S.M. Avramescu, O. Dumitrescu, C.E. Dinu-Pîrvu, Innovative phytosynthesized silver nanoarchitectures with enhanced antifungal and antioxidant properties, Applied Surface Science2015, 358, Part B, 540-548, doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.07.160 (IF-3,150/2015).
  5. Popa, N.E. BăbeanuI. PopaS. NițăC.E. Dinu-Pîrvu, Methods for obtaining and determination of squalene from natural sources, BioMed Research International2015, Article ID 367202, 16 pages, doi.org/10.1155/2015/367202 (IF-2,134/2015).
  6. T. Olaru, G.M. Niţulescu, A. Orțan, C.E. Dinu-Pîrvu, Ethnomedicinal, phytochemical and pharmacological profile of Anthriscus sylvestris as an alternative source for anticancer lignans, Molecules2015, 20(8), 15003-15022, doi: 10.3390/molecules200815003 (IF-2,465/2015).
  7. Anuța, G.M. Nițulescu, C.E. Dinu-Pirvu, O.T. Olaru, Biopharmaceutical profiling of new antitumor pyrazole derivatives, Molecules2014, 19(10),16381-16401,doi: 10.3390/molecules191016381 (IF-2,416/2014).
  8. PopaM.V. GhicaC.E. Dinu-Pîrvu, Periodontal chitosan-gels designed for improved local intra-pocket drug delivery, Farmacia2013, 61(2), 240-250 (IF-1,251/2013).
  9. PopaM.V. Ghica, M.G. Albu, A. Orţan, C.E. Dinu-Pîrvu, Hysteresis of contact angle. Dynamic wettability studies of collagen and doxycycline porous matrices crosslinked with tannic acid, Digest Journal of Nanomaterials and Biostructures2013, 8(3), 937-943 (IF-1,123/2013).
  10. V. Ghica, M.G. Albu, L. Popa, Şt. Moisescu, Response surface methodology and Taguchi approach to assess the combined effect of formulation factors on minocycline delivery from collagen sponges, Pharmazie2013, 68(5), 340-348, doi: 10.1691/ph.2013.2101 (IF-1,003/2013).
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