Pharmaceuticals Webinar | Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Drug Discovery, Development and Biomedical Research
Pharmaceuticals Webinar | Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Drug Discovery, Development and Biomedical Research
Part of the Pharmaceuticals Webinar series
23 March 2026
Raman Spectroscopy, SRS, CARS, Drug Formulation, Bioequivalence, Preformulation, Chemometrics, Machine Learning
Welcome from the Chair
8th Pharmaceuticals Webinar
Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Drug Discovery, Development and Biomedical Research
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the upcoming webinar associated with the Special Issue “Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Drug Discovery, Development and Biomedical Research” in the journal Pharmaceuticals.
Raman spectroscopy has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. Once primarily viewed as a physicochemical characterization technique, it has evolved into a powerful analytical tool with wide applications across pharmaceutical science and biomedical research. Today, Raman-based approaches are contributing to many stages of the pharmaceutical pipeline, from understanding drug–target interactions and formulation development to biomedical diagnostics and therapeutic monitoring. The integration of advanced data analysis methods, including machine learning, is further expanding the ability of Raman spectroscopy to interpret complex biological and pharmaceutical systems.
This webinar brings together experts who are exploring these exciting developments. Through their presentations, we hope to highlight recent innovations, share scientific insights, and stimulate discussions on how Raman techniques can continue to advance pharmaceutical research and biomedical applications.
I would like to thank all participants today, and with that, let us begin the session.
Dr. Nota Zarmpi
Chair of the Pharmaceuticals Webinar
Date: 23 March 2026
Time: 3:00 pm CET | 10:00 am EDT
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Event Chair
University of Surrey, UK
Dr Nota Zarmpi is a Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Surrey, UK. Her research centres on pharmaceutics and non‑invasive analytical methods, with a strong focus on applying confocal Raman spectroscopy and related vibrational spectroscopic techniques to characterise drug formulations, evaluate skin bioavailability, and assess bioequivalence of topical and transdermal products. Prior to joining Surrey, she conducted postdoctoral research on Raman‑based imaging of drug delivery and formulation performance. Her work aims to develop robust, non‑invasive measurement approaches that can enhance the understanding and regulation of complex medicinal products.
Keynote Speakers
University of Bath, UK
Professor Richard H. Guy is a leading pharmaceutical scientist and Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath, UK. He is internationally recognised for his pioneering research on transdermal drug delivery, skin barrier function, percutaneous absorption, iontophoresis, and non‑invasive biosensing. His work combines experimental and predictive modelling approaches to understand and optimise how drugs and chemicals traverse the skin, and he has published hundreds of peer‑reviewed articles, book chapters, and patents across these fields. He holds degrees from the University of Oxford and University College London, and has been honoured with prestigious awards including the Prix d’Honneur from the French National Academy of Pharmacy and major research accolades from the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.
National Physical Laboratory, UK,
University of Surrey, UK
Dr Natalie Belsey is an Associate Professor in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Surrey and a Principal Scientist in the Surface Technology Group at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the UK. She leads research on optical spectroscopy, especially Raman and non‑linear imaging techniques such as stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, to characterise complex chemical systems including pharmaceutical formulations and biological tissues. Her work focuses on advancing measurement science for chemical imaging and understanding the behaviour of formulations and drug delivery processes. Dr Belsey holds an MChem and DPhil from the University of Oxford, is a Chartered Chemist, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and a Fellow of the Community for Analytical Measurement Science (CAMS).
Professor Tao Chen is Associate Vice‑President (International) and Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Surrey, UK. He specialises in computational and data‑driven approaches for chemical engineering applications, including multiscale modelling, machine learning, and optimisation for product design and process systems. His research spans applications in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, cosmetics, food, and other sectors, where computational modelling helps address complex challenges from formulation design to process resilience. Professor Chen received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Newcastle University, and his academic career includes research and teaching roles internationally.
Registration
This is a FREE webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the live webinar.
Can’t attend? Register anyway and we’ll let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Program
|
Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CET |
Time in EDT |
|
Dr. Panagiota Zarmpi (Chair) Welcome Message |
3:00 - 3:10 pm |
10:00 - 10:10 am |
|
Prof. Richard Guy (Speaker 1) Raman Spectroscopic Assessment of Cutaneous Pharmacokinetics and Topical Drug Delivery |
3:10 - 3:30 pm |
10:10 - 10:30 am |
|
Dr. Natalie Belsey (Speaker 2) Visualising Topical Drug Delivery with Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy |
3:30 - 3:50 pm |
10:30 - 10:50 am |
|
Prof. Tao Chen (Speaker 3) Integrating Stimulated Raman Scattering Imaging with In-Silico Modelling to Investigate Skin Absorption |
3:50 - 4:10 pm |
10:50 - 11:10 am |
|
Q&A |
4:10 - 4:25 pm |
11:10 - 11:25 am |
|
Closing of Webinar Dr. Panagiota Zarmpi (Chair) |
4:25 - 4:30 pm |
11:20 - 11:30 am |
Supporting Special Issue
Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Drug Discovery, Development and Biomedical Research
Edited by Dr. Panagiota Zarmpi
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
