Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Biomedical sciences research
Our research in the area of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences focuses on growing our understanding of how the body develops, functions in health, how it malfunctions in disease and the genetic and molecular drivers of physical and mental illnesses. We aim to find new, more effective treatments and diagnostics for patients, improving healthcare delivery and outcomes.
We're studying the molecular, cellular, physiological and behavioural processes occurring in the body at times of health and disease. We're identifying and characterising biomarkers of disease and, with our partners in industry, helping to develop new drugs, advanced materials and diagnostic technologies from initial discovery to clinical application. We also use computational modelling and simulation to understand biological processes, drug pharmacology and predict responses to medicines in individuals and populations.
Our work has the potential to make hugely positive impacts on society. Much of our work focuses on diseases for which there is no current cure, or only a limited range of treatments, including cancer, neurological conditions and rare congenital diseases. We study neurons, stem cells and development to understand disease and support new approaches to diagnosis, tissue regeneration and therapy.
We're researching targeted drug-delivery systems, precision medicines, antimicrobial materials, regenerative therapies and earlier, less invasive diagnostics. We are also tackling the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance and investigating how healthcare can be planned, delivered and evaluated more effectively to improve patient outcomes and wider public benefit.
Our research is a core component of the University of Portsmouth’s Improving Health and Wellbeing research theme, which seeks to improve society through enhancing health and wellbeing, advancing the knowledge economy, making the National Health Service (NHS) a more efficient and cost-effective organisation and stimulating innovation to grow the UK economy.
Interested in a PhD in Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences?
- Explore our Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences postgraduate research degrees - including PhDs and MPhils.
- Explore our Master of Research degrees (MRes) in Science and Health
Our research groups
Find out more about our research – and learn more about our recent projects, the academic and industrial partners with whom we collaborate, and the major funders who fund our work.
Advanced Materials for Diagnosis and Therapy
We’re creating advanced materials for smarter drug delivery, earlier diagnosis and tissue regeneration. From nanoparticles and antimicrobial implants to precision cancer therapies, our research aims to make treatments safer, more targeted and more effective.
Computational Biology
We’re using computational modelling and simulation to understand biological processes across scales, from individual molecules to the whole body. Our research explores drug action, disease progression, the blood-brain barrier and predicting treatment responses in individuals and populations.
Drug Discovery for Personalised Medicine
We’re investigating diseases at the cellular and molecular level to discover safer, more effective treatments tailored to individual patients. Using live-cell analysis, molecular profiling and high-throughput screening, we study conditions including infection, cancer, neurological, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Neurons, Stem Cells and Development
We’re exploring how stem and progenitor cells develop, migrate and regenerate tissues, and what happens when these processes go wrong. Using gene editing, organoids and advanced disease models, we aim to develop new approaches to diagnosing and treating brain cancers, rare conditions and currently incurable congenital diseases.
Healthcare Outcomes and Clinical Practice
We’re investigating how healthcare can be planned, delivered and evaluated more effectively to improve patient outcomes and public benefit. Our research spans clinical practice, health services, epidemiology, health protection, digital medicine and healthcare education, addressing real-world challenges through multidisciplinary collaboration.
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