We’re pleased to announce that Professor Ryan Donnelly has been awarded the RPS Harrison Memorial Medal for 2024 for his outstanding contribution to advancing pharmaceutical science. The medal is awarded every two years, in memory of the distinguished pharmaceutical chemist Col EF Harrison.
Professor Ryan Donnelly is Chair in Pharmaceutical Technology at Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Pharmacy and Director of Research. A registered pharmacist, his expertise lies in developing advanced polymeric drug delivery systems for transdermal and intradermal drug delivery, aimed at improving patient outcomes. Collaborating with major pharmaceutical companies, he is developing a range of novel microneedle technologies. His work has attracted over £30 million in funding, and he has authored more than 1000 peer-reviewed publications, including patent applications, textbooks, book chapters and full papers. He also leads a diverse research team of 50 individuals from 15 different countries and has been an invited speaker at numerous national and international conferences.
His contributions have earned him prestigious awards, including the International Association for Pharmaceutical Technology Research Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (2024) and the Kydonieus Foundation Transdermal Delivery Award (2024). Professor Donnelly also won the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics Most Cited Paper Award in 2023, Visit Belfast’s Ambassador Award for Life and Health Sciences in 2022, and many more throughout his career. As Europe/Africa Editor of Drug Delivery and Translational Research, Professor Donnelly continues to shape the field with his groundbreaking research and commitment to pharmaceutical science.
Professor Donnelly, said:
“I am delighted to receive this great honour from RPS. As a pharmacist, my work has always focused on harnessing the pharmaceutical sciences to develop drug and vaccine delivery systems that can enhance therapeutic outcomes for patients. That these efforts have been recognised by such a prestigious award emphasises the importance of the application of scientific knowledge by the pharmacy profession.”
Professor Parastou Donyai, RPS Chief Scientist said:
“It is a real pleasure to announce Professor Ryan Donnelly as the 2024 RPS Harrison Medal winner. Professor Donnelly is a world leader in the field of drug delivery. His novel inventions have the potential for genuine impact, and his publication record, substantial research funding, and investment in developing others attest to his authority and distinction. Professor Donnelly is a credit to pharmaceutical science and the whole of the profession of pharmacy.”
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