Department of Pharmacy Practice : Jerry Nesamony

Jerry Nesamony, Ph.D.  Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics 419-530-1938 WO 1213 jerry.nesamony@utoledo.edu

Dr. Nesamony began his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics at the University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy (UACP) in Oakwood, Virginia in 2005.  At UACP, he developed and taught courses in Pharmaceutics, Extemporaneous Compounding, Sterile Products Compounding, and Pharmacokinetics for three years before joining the UT College of Pharmacy.  Dr. Nesamony received a Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutics from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, LA in 2005.  Prior to coming to graduate school in the United States, Dr. Nesamony earned the Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) and Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) in Pharmaceutics degrees from the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences Medical College, University of Kerala, India.  Dr. Nesamony has performed research in the areas of oral and sub-cutaneous delivery of insulin and microemulsion-based synthesis of nanocrystals.  His current research interests are developing microemulsion based formulations suitable for drug delivery and nanoparticle synthesis, transdermal and topical drug delivery, and stability studies involving compounded non-sterile preparations.

B.Pharm

College of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

M.Pharm (Pharmaceutics)

College of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Ph.D. (Pharmaceutics)

Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy,

University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA

GRADUATE RESEARCH

Microemulsions as reactors for nanoparticle synthesis: My research project during Ph.D. involved developing water-in-oil microemulsions using pharmaceutically relevant materials. These microemulsions were used as reactors for nanoparticle synthesis. As part of the formulation development process the phase behavior of ternary systems involving mixtures of oil, surfactant, and water were studied. The droplet size analysis and microstructure of the microemulsions were studied using dynamic light scattering in a submicron particle sizer equipped with a 45 mW He-Ne laser. The rheological properties were studied using a controlled stress rheometer. The nature of water in these systems was characterized using sub-ambient differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Sub-ambient temperature-modulated DSC. The microemulsions were used as reactors for nanoparticle synthesis and the stability and growth of these particles in the presence of polymeric stabilizing agents were also evaluated.

Oral delivery of Insulin: My research project during M.Pharm involved developing an alginate microsphere based oral delivery system for insulin. A new emulsion-cross linking process was developed to prepare alginate mirospheres. Insulin was incorporated in the microspheres via a remote loading process. The microspheres were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and flame photometry. The drug loading efficiency of the microspheres was evaluated by performing in vitro dissolution studies. The efficacy of the microspheres to deliver insulin orally was assessed by administering insulin loaded microspheres to diabetic Albino rats. Blood samples were drawn at definite time intervals and the blood sugar levels analyzed. A radio-immuno-assay was also performed to quantify the amount of circulating insulin in the rats prior to and after oral administration of insulin loaded microspheres.

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

Nanotechnology: I am interested in developing a microemulsion based reactor system for synthesizing alginate nanoparticles. Preliminary experiments using dynamic light scattering studies on dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate/ isopropyl myristate/ aqueous alginate microemulsions demonstrated formation of sub-micron alginate particles. I would like to investigate other microemulsion systems as well as employ other characterization techniques to validate the nanoparticle preparation process.

Drug delivery/Formulation development/Compounding: Another area I would like to explore is research and development of pharmaceutical or herbal compounded preparations. This is a largely unexplored field and application of scientific processes to validate formulation, evaluation, and stability studies of compounded preparations is being given high priority by the regulatory and quality control agencies such as US FDA and United States Pharmacopeial Convention.

PUBLICATIONS

DISSERTATIONS

Nesamony, J. 2000. Oral delivery of Insulin: An optimization. (Dissertation (M.Pharm), College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala, India).

 Nesamony, J. 2005. Microemulsions as reactors for nanoparticle synthesis. (Dissertation (Ph.D.), College of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA )

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

1. Nesamony, J., Manek, R.V., and Kolling, W.M., 2006. Characterizing water states in microemulsions using sub-ambient differential scanning calorimetry, American Pharmaceutical Review, 9(5): 44-53. 
2. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M., 2005. IPM/DOSS/water microemulsions as reactors for silver sulfadiazine nanocrystal synthesis, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 94(6): 1310-1320.
3. Paul, W., Nesamony, J., and Sharma, C.P., 2002. Delivery of insulin from hydroxyapatite ceramic microspheres: preliminary in vivo studies, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 61(4): 660-662.
4. Nesamony, J., Anitha, Y., Sharma, C.P. and Poulose, S., 2001. In vivo absorption studies of insulin from an oral delivery system, Drug Delivery, 8(1): 19-23.

GRANTS

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy New Investigator Program 2008:  “Preparation and evaluation of transdermal formulations with potential therapeutic application in osteoarthritis.” Amount requested: $ 10,000.00, Status: Pending

Professional Affiliations

1. Registered Pharmacist at the Pharmacy Council of Kerala, India, 1996 – present.
2. Member of Society of Biomaterials and Artificial Organs, 1999 – present.
3. Member of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, 2001 – present.
4. Member of the Society of Rheology, 2003 – present.
5. Member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 2008.
6. Member of the Rho Chi Society (Delta Alpha chapter), 2008.

Completed Manuscripts

1. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W.M., 2007. Probing the microstructure and dynamics of water droplets in IPM/DOSS/water microemulsions using rheology and dynamic light scattering (to be submitted to Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
2. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W.M., 2007. A study of the freezing of water dispersed within microemulsions by sub-ambient differential scanning calorimetry (to be submitted to Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
3. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W.M., 2007. Controlled growth of silver sulfadiazine nanocrystals in microemulsion-based reactors in the presence of polymeric stabilizing agents (to be submitted to Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy)

ABSTRACTS OF CONFERENCE AND SYMPOSIA

PODIUM PRESENTATIONS

1. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Emulsified reagents as templates for nanoparticle drug synthesis.  The University of Louisiana at Monroe/Sigma Xi Annual Student Research Symposium, April 2003, Monroe, LA. 
2. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Synthesis of nanocrystalline silver sulfadiazine using microemulsions as reactors.  30^th Annual MALTO Medicinal Chemistry-Pharmacognosy Research Meeting, May 2003, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR.
3. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Microemulsified reagents as reactors for silver sulfadiazine nanoparticle synthesis.  AAPS - SRDG Meeting, May 2003, Little Rock, AR. 

POSTER PRESENTATIONS (Selected)

1. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M. Microemulsion formulations and size characterization by dynamic laser light scattering. The University of Louisiana at Monroe/Sigma Xi Annual Student Research Symposium, April 23 2002, Monroe, LA. Bronze Medal Award
2. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Dynamic light scattering studies on pharmaceutically relevant microemulsions. AAPS - SRDG Meeting, May 2002 Little Rock, AR.
3. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Microemulsions as chemical reactors: synthesis of drug nanoparticles.  AAPS Annual Meeting, November 2002, Toronto, ON, CA. 
4. Simoneaux, K., Rozas, J., Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Rheological properties of microemulsions: Influence on diffusion-limited reactor systems.  Pharmacy Student Research Conference-Western Region, May 2003, University of Colorado, Denver, CO.
5. Rozas, J., Simoneaux, K., Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Conductivity of microemulsions used as reactor systems.  Pharmacy Student Research Conference-Western Region, May 2003, University of Colorado, Denver, CO. 
6. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Shear effects on microstructural dynamics of biopolymer microemulsions.  Society of Rheology Annual Meeting, October 2003, Pittsburgh, PA. Society of Rheology Travel Award
7. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Probing water-in-oil microemulsion structure using multiangle photon correlation spectroscopy.  The University of Louisiana at Monroe/Sigma Xi Annual Student Research Symposium, April 2004, Monroe, LA. Bronze Medal Award
8. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Multiangle light scattering studies of silver sulfadiazine nanocrystals in microemulsions.  AAPS - SRDG Meeting, May 2004, Memphis, TN. 
9. Nesamony, J., Manek, R. V., and Kolling, W. M.  Characterization of isopropyl myristate/dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate/water microemulsions using sub-ambient differential scanning calorimetry.  AAPS Annual Meeting, November 2004, Baltimore, MD.
10. Bradford M., Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W. M.  Polyvinylpyrrolidone K-30 alters the kinetics and stability of silver sulfadiazine nanocrystals prepared from microemulsions.  The University of Louisiana at Monroe/Sigma Xi Annual Student Research Symposium, April 2005, Monroe, LA.
11. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W.M., 2005. Controlled growth and stability of silver sulfadiazine nanocrystals in the presence of polymeric stabilizing agents, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) annual meeting, Nashville, TN.
12. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W.M., 2005. Probing microstructural dynamics and stability of water-in-oil microemulsions using dynamic light scattering. AAPS annual meeting, Nashville, TN.
13. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W.M., 2005. Sub-ambient thermal transitions in IPM/DOSS/water microemulsions studied by temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry. AAPS annual meeting, Nashville, TN.
14. Nesamony, J., and Kolling, W.M., 2006. Microemulsion-based synthesis of silver sulfadiazine nanocrystals. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Research Day, Blacksburg, VA.