Department of pharmaceutics & industrial pharmacy

The Department of Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy is one of the academic departments within the School of Health Sciences at Kenyatta University. The Department contributes to the training of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists through teaching, research, innovation, mentorship and engagement with the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare institutions and regulatory agencies.

The Department focuses on the science and technology involved in the design, formulation, manufacture, evaluation, quality assurance and delivery of medicines. Its teaching and research activities integrate fundamental pharmaceutical sciences with emerging technologies in drug delivery, pharmaceutical manufacturing and product development.

Through undergraduate and postgraduate training, the Department seeks to produce graduates equipped with the scientific knowledge, practical competencies, professional values and innovative capabilities required to contribute effectively to pharmaceutical practice, manufacturing, regulation, research and healthcare.

Vision

To be a centre of excellence in pharmaceutics and industrial pharmacy education, research, innovation and pharmaceutical technology.

Mission

To provide high-quality education, research and innovation in pharmaceutics and industrial pharmacy through competency-based training, scientific inquiry, industry engagement and application of emerging pharmaceutical technologies for improved healthcare and sustainable pharmaceutical development.

Core Areas of Teaching and Training

The Department provides teaching and practical training in areas including:

• Pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical dosage-form design
• Industrial pharmacy and pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Physical pharmacy
• Biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics
• Pharmaceutical formulation and product development
• Pharmaceutical microbiology and sterilization
• Pharmaceutical packaging technology
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Pharmaceutical quality assurance and quality control
• Drug stability and stability testing
• Novel and advanced drug-delivery systems
• Nanotechnology and nanoformulations
• Scale-up and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes
• Pharmaceutical regulatory science
• Pharmaceutical management and supply-chain related areas
• Research methodology and pharmaceutical research

Research and Innovation

Research within the Department is directed towards addressing pharmaceutical formulation, manufacturing and healthcare challenges relevant to Kenya, Africa and the global pharmaceutical sector.

Key areas of research interest include:

Drug formulation and delivery: Development and optimization of conventional and advanced pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Nanotechnology and advanced drug-delivery systems: Application of nanocrystals, nanoparticles and related technologies to improve drug solubility, stability, delivery and bioavailability.

Excipient science: Investigation of pharmaceutical excipients and their influence on formulation performance, manufacturability, drug release and product quality.

Biopharmaceutics and bioavailability: Evaluation of factors affecting drug absorption, dissolution, bioavailability and bioequivalence.

Quality by Design (QbD): Application of systematic, risk-based and scientifically grounded approaches to pharmaceutical formulation and manufacturing.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: Optimization of manufacturing processes, scale-up, process control and application of modern pharmaceutical production technologies.

Pharmaceutical quality and stability: Evaluation of medicine quality, stability, degradation and formulation factors influencing product performance.

Regulatory science: Research supporting pharmaceutical product development, quality assurance, bioequivalence and regulatory decision-making.

Research Facilities and Laboratories

The Department maintains teaching and research laboratory facilities that support practical training, formulation development, pharmaceutical analysis and research.

The Department continues to strengthen its research infrastructure through institutional investment and collaboration with local and international partners, with particular emphasis on modern pharmaceutical formulation, manufacturing and characterization technologies.

Industry and International Collaboration

The Department recognizes that effective pharmaceutical education requires strong collaboration between academia, the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory authorities, healthcare institutions and international research partners.

It therefore promotes partnerships aimed at:

• student experiential learning and industrial attachment;
• collaborative pharmaceutical research;
• technology and knowledge transfer;
• staff and student capacity development;
• pharmaceutical manufacturing innovation;
• postgraduate training and research;
• professional development; and
• strengthening academia–industry linkages.

The Department has pursued collaborative initiatives involving pharmaceutical manufacturers and international academic partners, particularly in pharmaceutical manufacturing and advanced drug-product development.

Pharmaceutical Technology and Knowledge Transfer

The Department is strengthening its role as a platform for pharmaceutical technology transfer and capacity building. Areas of interest include advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, formulation science, process monitoring and characterization of pharmaceutical products.

Such initiatives are intended to enhance the translation of university research into practical solutions for the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare sector.

Experiential Learning

Practical and experiential training forms an important component of pharmaceutical education within the Department. Students undertake laboratory-based learning and participate in relevant industrial and professional placements.

The Department works with approved training sites and qualified preceptors to expose students to pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality systems, regulatory requirements and professional practice.

Community and Professional Engagement

In addition to teaching and research, members of the Department participate in professional, regulatory and community activities. These include continuing professional development, scientific conferences, pharmaceutical-sector consultations, community health initiatives and technical advisory activities.

These engagements strengthen the relationship between university education and contemporary pharmaceutical and public-health needs.