Unilever R&D
University of Liverpool

Analysing the deposition and delivery of materials on/through artificial skin is a significant and actively researched area across many fields ranging from personal care to healthcare. However, the methods and techniques used in this area of research require development for a more in-depth understanding of the factors contributing to the effective delivery of personal care actives and skin-delivered pharmaceuticals. Unilever is committed to ending animal testing globally, believing in using science, not animals to research. Developing new approaches and methodologies will help aid this commitment.

Katie’s work aims to develop a novel toolbox of experimental methods and analytical techniques to investigate the deposition and delivery of key personal care actives and an anticancer drug, through a non-animal skin mimic. She will then utilise her learnings to understand how changing conditions, affect the delivery of the product on the skin’s surface. She will also explore avenues for improvement in the skin delivery of anticancer medication, Docetaxel.

A range of advanced characterisation techniques, including radioanalytics offered in the Radio Materials Laboratory, will increase scientific understanding and shape potentially life-changing pharmaceuticals and personal care products.

Biography:

Prior to her PhD, Katie received a First-class Masters in Chemistry from the University of Liverpool, during which she was awarded the Society of Chemical Industry’s Leverhulme Prize for the best performing graduating student. Her keen interest in materials chemistry was developed through projects and internships during her degree leading to her first review article titled "Enabling Technology for Supramolecular Chemistry.” From this experience, Katie decided to continue her studies in the Functional Material Team at Liverpool through the industrially funded PhD in collaboration with Unilever.