Research Interests

Goal: The translation of materials science and pharmaceutical engineering to target therapeutic molecules to a biological site of action.

The themes of research include:

1. Targeted Aerosol Delivery For The Treatment Of Lung Cancer
2. Improving Aerosol Systems for Cystic Fibrosis
3. Control of Spray Systems
4. Sustained Release Pulmonary Delivery
5. Understanding Powder and Particle Performance
6. Novel Inhaler Development
7. Nanomedicine

These themes are interlinked and overlapping and are the subject of research plans that are collaborative and multidisciplinary.

Education & Experience

2004 - June 2005 Research Assistant Professor, Division of Drug Delivery and Deposition School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2001 - 2003 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Division of Drug Delivery and Deposition School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2000 Ph.D., University of Otago/GlaxoWellcome Inc., RTP, NC, USA.

1997 University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ Post Graduate Diploma in Pharmaceutics (with Distinction)

1996 Pharmacist Auckland Hospital, Auckland Healthcare, NZ

1995 University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ Bachelor of Pharmacy

Industry & Scientific Experience

2006: Reviewer for NSF panel on drug delivery in biotechnology

2005: Member of the BZT-Z 10 (B) Special Emphasis Panel on delivery Systems and Nanotechnology, Center for Scientific Review, N.I.H.

2004: Scientific Reviewer for Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research

2003: Evaluation of Existing Inhaler Products for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

2001 - Present::

• Various Industrially Funded And Cooperative Projects In Aerosol Drug Delivery
• Projects for Regulatory Agency (US FDA) Related Submissions
• Scientific Reviewer for International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Journal of Aerosol Medicine, Journal of Controlled Release, AAPS PharmSciTech., Pharmaceutical Research, Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy

2001: Reviewer for NSF panel on drug delivery in biotechnology.

1998 - 1999: GlaxoWellcome Inc, RTP, NC, USA (Ph.D. research).

Peer Reviewed Publications

Smyth, H. D. C., Brace, G., Barbour, T., Grove J., Gallion, J., Hickey, A.J., Spray pattern analysis for metered dose inhalers I: orifice size, particle size, and droplet motion correlations. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2006 In Press

Smyth, H. D. C., Brace, G., Barbour, T., Grove J., Gallion, J., Hickey, A.J., Spray pattern analysis for metered dose inhalers: Effect of Actuator Design, Pharmaceutical Research. 2006 Jul;23(7):1591-6

Smyth, H.D.C., Brace G., Barbour T., Gallion J., Grove J., Hickey AJ., "Actuator Design Variables For Particle Size Modulation" Respiratory Drug Delivery X, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Julie Suman, 2006,

Smyth, H.D.C., Brace G., Barbour T., Gallion J., Grove J., Hickey AJ., " Influence of Actuator Design on Spray Pattern Analysis of Metered Dose Inhalers" Respiratory Drug Delivery X, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Julie Suman, 2006.

Yun, M, Smyth, HDC, Kompella, UB, "Particle engineering for sustained pulmonary drug delivery", Business Briefing: Drug Delivery 2006, In Press.

Smyth HDC, Leach CL, Alternative propellant aerosol delivery systems, Critical Reviews™ in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 2005, 22(6) pp 493-534

Martonen T., Smyth HDC, Isaccs K., Burton R., "Issues in Drug Delivery: Dry Powder Inhaler Performance and Lung Deposition": Respiratory Care. 2005, 50(9) 1228-52

Smyth, H. D. C., Hickey, A.J., "Carriers in Drug Powder Delivery: Implications for Inhalation System Design": American Journal of Drug Delivery, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 117-132, 2005.

Smyth, H. D. C. Propellant driven metered dose inhalers for pulmonary drug delivery, Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery. 2(1), pp. 53 – 74, 2005

Smyth, H.D.C., Garcia-Contreras, L., Dry-Powder and Liquid Spray Systems for Inhaled Delivery of Peptides and Proteins, American Journal of Drug Delivery, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 29-45(17) 2005

Smyth, H.D.C., Beck, V.P., Williams, D., Hickey, A.J., The Influence of Formulation and Spacer Device on the in-vitro Performance of Solution CFC-free Propellant Driven Metered Dose Inhalers. AAPS PharmSciTech, 5(1) Article 7, 2004

Smyth, H.D.C., Cooney D.J., Garmise R.J., Zimmerer, R.O., Pipkin, J.D., Hickey A.J. Dynamic Electrostatic Charge Determinations of Dry Powder Blends for Inhalation: Correlations with dispersion performance Influence of Physical Form of Captisol®, Respiratory Drug Delivery IX Volume III, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Stephen J. Farr, p805-807. 2004

Smyth, H.D.C., Garmise R.J., Cooney D.J., Zimmerer, R.O., Pipkin, J.D., Hickey A.J. Influence of Physical Form of Captisol® Particles on Performance as A Dry Powder Aerosol Carrier, Respiratory Drug Delivery IX Volume III, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Stephen J. Farr, p809-811. 2004

Garcia-Contreras L., Cooney D.J., Smyth, H.D.C., Zimmerer, R.O., Pipkin, J.D., Hickey A.J. Evaluation of cyclodextrin-rifampicin solutions in CALU-3 monolayer cell culture system, Respiratory Drug Delivery IX Volume III, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Stephen J. Farr, p797-799, 2004

Smyth, H.D.C., Factors Influencing Particle Size Analysis of Micronized Powders, American Pharmaceutical Review, Fall issue, Pages 100-104, 2003.

Smyth H.D.C, Hickey AJ. Multimodal Particle Size Distributions Emitted From HFA-134a Solution Pressurized Metered-Dose Inhalers. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2003; 4(3): article 38.

Smyth, H.D.C., The influence of formulation variables on the performance of alternative propellant-driven metered dose inhalers, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, Volume 55, Issue 7, Pages 807-828, July 2003

Smyth, H.D.C., Becket, G., Mehta, S.C., Effect of permeation enhancer pretreatment on the iontophoresis of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) through human epidermal membrane (HEM) Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 91(5), 1296-1307, 2002.

Smyth, H.D.C., Hickey A.J., Dynamic Particle Size Distributions Emitted from pMDIs as Determined by Laser Diffraction: A Function of Time and Space, Respiratory Drug Delivery VIII Volume II, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Stephen J. Farr. p727 – 730, 2002

Smyth, H.D.C., Hickey A.J., Comparative Particle Size Analysis of Solution Propellant Driven Metered Dose Inhalers Using Cascade Impaction and Laser Diffraction, Respiratory Drug Delivery VIII Volume II, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Stephen J. Farr. p731 – 734, 2002

Smyth, H.D.C., Mejia-Millan, E.A., Hickey A.J., The Effect of Ethanol on Solvency, Vapor Pressure, and Emitted Droplet Size of Solution Metered Dose Inhalers Containing HFA 134a, Respiratory Drug Delivery VIII Volume II, Editors: Richard N. Dalby, Peter R. Byron, Joanne Peart and Stephen J. Farr. p735 – 738, 2002

Crowder, T.M., Louey, M.D., Sethuraman, V.V., Smyth, H.D.C., Hickey, A.J., 2001: An Odyssey in Inhaler Formulations and Design, Pharmaceutical Technology, 25(7), 99-113, 2001.

Smyth, H.D.C., Investigation into the mechanism of action and chemical enhancement of transdermal iontophoresis of LHRH, Ph.D.Thesis, University of Otago, New Zealand, 2000.

Smyth, H.D.C., Mehta, S.C., Becket, G., The Relationship Between Electroosmotic Flow And Electrical Potential Difference In The Human Epidermal Membrane. Perspectives In Percutaneous Penetration, Volume 7b (Eds. K.R. Brain and K.A. Walters) 2000.

Book Chapters

Smyth, H. D. C., Evans, R. M., Hickey, A. J., Aerosol Generation from Propellant-driven metered dose inhalers in Inhalation Aerosols, Lung Biology in Health and Disease, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 2nd Edition, 2006, In Press

Smyth, H. D. C., Pulmonary Excipients in Pharmaceutical Excipients, Katdare, A. and Chaubal, M. (Eds). Accepted

Smyth, H.D.C., Garmise, R., Cooney, D., Garcia-Contreras, L., Jones, L.D., Hickey, A.J. Medical and Pharmaceutical Aerosols in Aerosols Handbook: Measurement, Dosimetry, and Health Effects, Ruzer, L. & Harley, N.H. (eds), CRC Press. 12/23/2004