Robert Ahern

Biography

2009 - Present: Phd in Pharamceutics under Dr. Abina Crean and Dr. Katie Ryan

2005 - 2009: B.Eng (Hons) in Chemical and Biopharmacetical Engineering

Research interests: My research focuses on the Solid-State Properties of Drug-Loaded Mesoporous Silica

• The use of supercritcal carbon dioxide as a solvent
• Dissolution rate enhancement of poorly water soluble drugs
• Properties of mesoporous silica
• Loading of drug onto high surface area carriers for enhanced and controlled release
  

Background:

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical and Biopharmaceutical Enginnering from the Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland.
Result achieved: Second Class Honours, Grade 1. 

Publications and Presentations:

Paper Publications:

Robert Ahern, Abina Crean and Katie Ryan, "Dissolution Enhancement of a poorly water soluble drug", The UK and Ireland Controlled Release Society, August 2011

Robert Ahern, "Investigating the solid-state properties of drug-loaded mesoporous silica", The Boolean, Snapshots of Doctural Reearch at University College, Volume 1, 2010

Oral Presentations:

"Investigating the Effect of Processing Conditions on Fenofibrate Dissolution Rate: A Design of Experiments Approach, UK and Ireland Controlled Release Society, Queens University Belfast, April 2011.

"Solid-State Properties of Drug-Loaded Mesoporous Silica", Ist Year PhD Transfer Presentation, University College Cork, Ireland December 2010.

Poster Presentations:

Robert Ahern, Katie Ryan and Abina Crean, "The Effect of Supercritical Processing on Silica-Fenofibrate Systems Dissolution and Stability", presented at the Controlled Release Society's Annual Meeting and Exposition, Gaylord Convention Centre, Maryland, USA, July/August 2011

Robert Ahern, Abina Crean and Katie Ryan, "Investigating the Effect of Processing Conditions on Fenofibrate Dissolution Rate, A Design of Experiments Approach", presented at the All Ireland Schools of Pharmacy Conference, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland,April 2011.

Robert Ahern, Abina Crean and Katie Ryan, "Investigating the Effect of  Processing Conditions on Fenofibrate Dissolution Rate, A Design of Experiments Approach", presented at the IChemE conference, Controlled Release in food, pharma and agrochemicals, MSD Academy, Hertfordshire, UK, November 2010.

Robert Ahern, Abina Crean and Katie Ryan, "Enhanced Dissolution Rate of Fenofibrate by Loading onto Mesoporous Silica", presented at the Solid State Pharmaceutical Cluster Q3 Technical Meeting, University of Limerick, Ireland, September 2010

Robert Ahern, Abina Crean and Katie Ryan, "Investigating the Solid-State Properties of Drug-Loaded Mesopoorus Silica", presented at the UCC Research Showcase, University College Cork, Ireland, June 2010.

Robert Ahern, Mary Nolan, Katie Ryan and Abina Crean, "Investigation into Mesoporous Silica as a Carrier for Poorly-Water Soluble Drugs", presented at the All Ireland Schools of Pharmacy Conference, Queens University Belfast, Ireland, April 2010.