UNAIR NEWS – Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DIK) is one of the departments of Faculty of Pharmacy (FF) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) that excels in research. The department that oversees two programs, Master of Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy has 6 research groups: Natural Products Drug Discovery, Drug Development, Pharmaceutical Analysis Development, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Engineering and Manufacturing Processes, Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology & Drug Delivery System, and Cosmetics.
Dr. apt. Juni Ekowati, M.Si., as the Head of the Department, revealed that the six research groups had published hundreds of scientific papers in reputable international and national journals and cited to develop science and technology. Moreover, these groups also publish popular articles in the mass media.
“In 2020, 21 DIK lecturers were named among the 210 best researchers at UNAIR, according to Google Scholar. Moreover, three research lecturers also won the best paper achievement from the Ministry. They are Prof. Dr. apt. Sukardiman, MS., Dr. apt. Aty Widyawaruyanti, Msi. and apt. Helmy Yusuf, SSi, MSc, PhD,” she explained.
She also said that DIK also cooperates with various national and international institutions, including Tokyo University, NUS University, ASAM University, National Chiayi University, Geneva University, and many others. Juni hoped that this collaboration could increase the ranking of faculties in the world.
“We also hope that the results of this joint research will accelerate the downstream process of research and the dissemination of research results wider in scope and benefits,” she added.
The department also contributes through research during this pandemic. Several DIK staff are on duty in pre-clinical testing of Covid-19 drugs. The DIK team is also on duty in clinical trials of the Red and White Vaccine and Covid-19 drugs at the RSUA. Furthermore, DIK also carries out community services during this pandemic by providing training to make handwashing soap containing folic acid to inhibit the transmission of COVID-19.
The department consisting of three Expertise Groups (KBK), Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Pharmaceutics, has produced many outstanding alumni. Among them are apt. Deby Fapyane, PhD., co-founder of Cellugy (international start-up in the field of production of cellulose-based biomaterials as a substitute for plastics), Drs. apt. Syamsul Hadi as Director of Ikapharmindo, and Dr. apt. Rizka Andalusia, MPharm., MARS as Director-General of Health Pharmacy.
“In the future, DIK will continue to play an active, responsive and innovative role in solving the latest community problems related to the supply of raw materials, either from natural ingredients, phytopharmaca, semi-synthetic or total synthesis. Analysis development and developing pharmaceutical products that meet the requirements. And also increase the benefits of research results in the student learning process,” she concluded.(*)
Author: Alysa Intan Santika
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
