• Long-acting injectable drug delivery platforms
• Hydrogel materials in drug delivery and biomaterial applications

Our Biofunctional Nanomaterials group research the design, development and formulation of self-assembling hydrogel platforms for healthcare applications based on peptides and peptide-like molecules.

Our peptides have the ability to form hydrogel structures when triggered specific physiological stimuli (e.g. pH, temperature, enzymes). They have huge potential within the fields of drug delivery and biomaterials with the group's focus primarily on the development of sustained release drug delivery systems e.g. long-acting injectables to improve adherence to medicines, antimicrobial biomaterials and drug delivery systems with the ability to cross biological barriers (e.g. blood-brain barrier, outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria). 

Using peptides provides a unique ability to tailor the peptide sequence to desired functional properties biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical strength, drug release and functionality.

Our work is funded (£1.5 M) by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Wellcome Trust, the Royal Society, Innovate UK and Intertrade Ireland alongside successful applications to Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL, Grenoble) and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for neutron scattering beam time.

Our most recent work relates to the development of an injectable in situ forming peptide hydrogel implant for sustained drug delivery. EPSRC, MRC and Wellcome Trust support has allowed this to be developed primarily for use in HIV/AIDs and combined contraception but this system is also showing promise for use in conditions with medication adherence and drug delivery issues (e.g. ocular use, cancer, tuberculosis, malaria, antipsychotics). 

Recently our HIV-contraceptive drug delivery research was selected by the EPSRC as a case study within their Developing New Therapies Grand Challenge:

Irish Times Research Insights

Advanced Science News: A long-lasting drug delivery system to treat HIV

ILL: Exciting new material for long acting drug delivery

Our group's work also relates to the development of self-assembling peptide-based hydrogel materials for use against infection. Our work on the use of ultrashort self-assembling peptide gels against resistant biofilm forms of hospital superbugs attracted interest from national and international media outlets including BBC, RTE and UTV television and radio, The Belfast Telegraph, The Irish Times, WTOP radio Washington D.C and abc News.

Links:

BBC News: Queen's University Belfast scientists create 'superbug gel'

Belfast Telegraph

abc News

Dr. Laverty is a member of the European Peptide Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry and is a member of the EPSRC, UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships/UKRI Talent and European Science Foundation Peer Review Colleges.

He is co-lead of the School of Pharmacy's Drug Delivery and Biomaterials theme.

Garry is also an Associate Editor (Biomaterials and Drug Delivery) for the journal Royal Society Open Science.

Garry Laverty graduated with a First Class Honours Masters degree (MPHARM) from the School of Pharmacy at Queen's University Belfast in 2005.  After successful completion of his pre-registration training Garry commenced a PhD in Pharmaceutics related to the activity of peptides against the biofilm forms of medical device related pathogens. 

In 2010 Garry began employment within the biotechnology industry. He was responsible for the creation and development of innovative veterinary products working closely with the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast. Garry has also undertaken a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice at University College Dublin. His work with small to medium enterprise allows him to fulfil his role as an Intertrade Ireland FUSION Graduate Ambassador.

Garry maintains his close links to Community Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Industry and has been an external examiner for degrees at several institutions including Trinity College Dublin.

In October 2012, Garry was appointed to the position of Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Science and Practice at the School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast.

Garry acts as a student Disability Adviser and sits on the Queen's University Belfast Staff Forum as representative for the School of Pharmacy. He is also the current Treasurer of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Education Community Ireland and was recently appointed as an Expert Member on the MHRA's and British Pharmacopoeia Commission’s Biological and Biotechnological Products Expert Advisory Group.

Master's of Pharmacy Degree (MPHARM):

Level 2: Pharmaceutical Technology (PMY2202)

Pharmaceutical Statistics

Co-ordinator of Industrial and Academic Pharmacist Workshops

Level 3: Deputy co-ordinator of PMY3303 Advanced Delivery of Large and Small Molecules

Level 4: Project Module (PMY4402)

BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biotechnology:

Level 1: Mathematical and Statistical Skills (PMY1020)

Level 2: Introduction to Dosage Forms and Unit Operations (PMY2301)

Module lead on Pharmaceutical Formulation practical

Pharmaceutical Science Research Project (PMY3022)

Pharmaceutical Innovation (PMY/PMC3031)

Visting Lecturer China Queen's College (Shenyang, China)

MSc Industrial Pharmaceutics:

Research Project (PMY8116)

MSc Pharmaceutical Analysis:

Chemical, Biochemical and Spectroscopic Analytical Methods (CHM7003)

School of Pharmacy Project Tutor for the British Council’s Study USA Programme