Science sits at the heart of pharmacy. The subjects that inform pharmacy are extensive and include the relevant chemical, biological, physical and mathematical sciences; anatomy, physiology, pharmacology; the science of medication (and medical device) design, synthesis, formulation, administration and prescribing; epidemiology, pharmacogenomics and health economics; as well as psychological and behavioural sciences. In fact, this is likely not an exhaustive list, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is delighted to be hosting a ‘Celebration of Science’ event to bring together scientists, researchers and scholars working across the breadth of sciences that inform the field of pharmacy, for a face-to-face learning and networking opportunity.
Please join us for an afternoon of celebration as we look back at the history of science and pharmacy; hear from the current Harrison Medal winners and consider the scientific contribution of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic; and learn about new plans at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and discuss the potential contribution of science to pharmacy over the coming years. The ‘Celebration of Science’ is itself a historic event. For the first time in the history of the RPS we are bringing myself as current chief scientist and all previous RPS chief scientists together under one roof to consider the future of science and pharmacy.
The Harrison Award (which dates back to 1924) is made every two years by the RPS to a member who has made an outstanding contribution in advancing pharmaceutical science. The 2020 Harrison Medal recipient is Yvonne Perrie, professor in drug delivery at the University of Strathclyde. Perrie’s talk, which was originally postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, is entitled ‘Liposomes and lipid nanoparticles — delivering vaccines’.
The 2022 Harrison Medal recipient is Abdul Basit, professor of pharmaceutics at University College London School of Pharmacy. Basit is an internationally leading authority on oral drug delivery, digital health and innovative pharmaceutical technologies, such as 3D printing.
We will also hear from Diane Ashiru-Oredope, lead pharmacist at the UK Health Security Agency, about how pharmacists contributed to the mobilisation of science during the pandemic, and how we might move forward from this as a community of scientists, academics and researchers working in pharmacy.
Looking to the future, Paul Dark joins our ‘Celebration of Science’ to help explain the next chapter for the NIHR in his talk entitled ‘Best research for best health’.
Finally, I also look forward to unveiling our plans for supporting early career searchers working within the breadth of the scientific disciplines relevant to pharmacy.
Our ‘Celebration of Science’ event looks to be a superb opportunity for acknowledging the past, celebrating the ‘here and now’ and looking forward to a future that secures the contribution of science to the profession of pharmacy.
Please join me as I welcome you to the London offices of the RPS at East Smithfield on 10 November 2022.
Parastou Donyai, chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Registration for the ‘Celebration of Science’ event will be open until 23.59 on 4 November 2022.
