Newton Fellow comes to Huddersfield
Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:04:00 GMT
Royal Society Newton Fellow to explore medicinal potential of grewia gum
AFFORDABLE and environmentally sustainable medicines and healthcare products for African countries are the aim of a scientist who will receive funding from one of the world’s most prestigious award schemes in order to conduct research at the University of Huddersfield.
Newton Fellowships are granted annually by the Royal Society – the world’s most venerable science institution – in order to provide generous support to non-UK scientists who wish to come to Britain to carry out research.
Nigerian scientist Dr Elijah Nep (pictured above) wanted to build on his previous work on the medicinal and pharmaceutical potential of a form of gum which can be economically extracted from shrubs in his native country.
Now, from January 2013, he will embark on a two-year Newton Fellowship at the University of Huddersfield working with co-applicant and senior lecturer Dr Alan Smith (pictured left) in the School of Applied Sciences, where recent major investment means that he will have all the facilities he requires.
Dr Smith, who has extensive experience of both academia and the pharmaceutical industry, first encountered Dr Nep as a PhD student at Aston University, where he was supervised by Barbara Conway, now Professor of Pharmaceutics at the University of Huddersfield.
“I saw how dedicated Elijah was and how much he concentrated on his work,” said Dr Smith.
Aware of Dr Smith’s expertise in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications of polysaccharides, Dr Nep contacted him for assistance in applying for one of the coveted Newton International Fellowships, awarded by the Royal Society in tandem with the British Academy.
First Newton Fellowship
There is delight that the University of Huddersfield will receive its first Newton International Fellowship. There is immense international competition for them, with just 40 being appointed in the 2012 round. The Fellowship is worth £99K over 2 years, plus potentially further support of £60K over the next ten years.
“We are extremely proud to be awarded the Newton Fellowship and feel it reflects the recent investment in people, infrastructure and research facilities within the University,” said Dr Smith.
“Everything is perfectly set up for Elijah and we have got the pharmaceutical and chemical expertise on hand to make a significant impact in developing medicines from sustainable resources in the developing world.”
Dr Nep’s research has focussed on grewia gum (a product of the Grewia Mollis Juss plant pictured below), a natural material readily available in Africa. It can be used as an agent in the manufacture of medicines and this would be of great cost benefit in Nigeria, reducing the need to import expensive raw materials for pharmaceutical production.
Grewia gum has also been used to treat wounds and the fact that it is a natural, sustainable product is also of major significance.
When he begins his research at the University of Huddersfield, Dr Nep will investigate the chemical composition of grewia gum and the greater understanding of its properties will help unlock its medicinal potential.
The Newton International Fellowship scheme aims to select the very best early stage post-doctoral researchers from all over the world across the disciplines of physical, natural and social sciences, and the humanities. The long-term aim of the scheme is to build a global pool of research leaders and encourage long-term international collaboration with the UK.
