- The Institute for Drugs-Herbal Medicine-Excipient Research and Development (ID-HED-ERD) was a product of a proposal submitted to the University of Nigeria Senate by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2016. The Faculty submitted two proposed institutes – one dealing with Drug Development and Herbal Medicine and the other dealing with research into Pharmaceutical excipients. The University Senate merged the two proposed institutes to what is now known as Institute for Drug-Herbal Medicine-Excipient Research and Development. The Institute was approved as one of the Research Institutes in the University of Nigeria, and domiciled in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the 388th meeting of the University Senate on August 31, 2016. The Institute received a formal approval by the University Governing Council at its 250th meeting held in January 17 and 18, 2017.
The Institute was charged with the following responsibilities:
- Conduct research into the various Drug Delivery systems with particular emphasis on Novel Drug Delivery systems.
- Conducts studies to ascertain efficacy and safety medicinal plants in Nigeria for use in the community and Pharmaceutical Industry.
- Conduct clinical screening, scientific validation of medicinal plant products, Pharmacological and Toxicological studies of medicinal plants and isolation of bioactive constituents of medicinal plants
- Design appropriate dosage forms for medicinal plants proven to be therapeutically effective and provide advocacy for the rational use of safe and effective medicinal plants by healthcare providers.
- Develop and maintain a functional and viable Botanical garden domiciled in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
- Development of Pharmaceutical recipients from local sources, functionality and standardization of locally sourced recipients for the Pharmaceutical Industry.
- Liaise with other similar institutes, traditional herbal practitioner in Nigeria and abroad to expand knowledge and enhance collaboration in Herbal medicine and Pharmaceutical percipient Research.
Vision statement
The vision of the Institute is to become an internationally renowned Centre of Excellence in drug discovery and development, herbal medicine and pharmaceutical recipients research and training.
Mission statement
The mission of the institute is to undertake cutting-edge and applied research in drug discovery and development, herbal medicine and pharmaceutical recipient an integrated and multi-disciplinary fashion that would lead to the development of medicines for mankind.
To fully realize her Vision and Mission, the Institute has developed multidisciplinary postgraduate programmes where top-class graduates from relevant disciplines will express themselves research-wise to develop medicines using integrated approach. The following Master of Science (M. Sc.) degree programmes are available in the institute: Drug Discovery and Development, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Herbal Medicine, and Regulatory Science. It is also expected that the various regulatory agencies in Nigeria (NAFDAC, SON, NDLEA, etc.) and in sub-Saharan Africa will utilize the opportunity of the availability of the new programme – Regulatory Science in the Institute to develop their staff and enhance their regulatory capacity.
1.3 Research Focus
The main focus of researches of the Institute is;
- Research into the development of drugs, especially novel drug delivery systems, pharmaceutical recipients and materials from local plant and animal sources for the Pharmaceutical Industry.
- Research into bioactive substances from plant and animal sources, including isolation, characterization and standardization of bioactive substances from plant and animals using appropriate Technologies.
- Develop appropriate dosage forms for developed drug entities and herbal medicines, including pilot scale up of established dosage forms.
- Establish and maintain functional laboratories and upgrade the easting pharmaceutical medicinal plant garden for the propagation of medicinal plants.
- Establish and enter into collaborative agreement with other relevant Research Institutes and Pharmaceutical companies/establishments for the purpose of synergy and commercialization of research findings.
- Liaise with complementary national bodies, government agencies, regional and international bodies in the pursuance of the objectives of the Institute.
- Conduct national, regional and international workshops/conferences on Drugs, Herbal Medicines and Pharmaceutical Excipient development.
1.4 Research Faculty
The institute shall operate four research subunits to achieve its research objectives. The research subunits are;
- Phytochemical Screening/ Pharmacological Unit
- Microbiological/ Biotech/ Clinical Unit
- Formulation/ Analytical Unit
- Grant Writing/ Publication Unit
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
| Vice Chancellor |
| Director |
| Phytochemical Screening/ Pharmacological/ Biochemical Unit |
| Secretarial Office Staff |
| Grant Writing/ Publication Unit |
| Formulation / Analytical Unit |
| Microbiological/ Biotech/ Clinical Unit |
1.5 Intramural Collaborations
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Abuja
iii. Raw Material Research and Development Council, Abuja
- Association of Traditional and Alternative Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria
- International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council of the Americas (IPEC-AMERICAS)
1.6 PERSONNEL
| Research Unit
|
Number of staff required for take off
Co-ordinator Research Assistant |
| Phytochemical Screening/ Biochemical Unit | 1 1 |
| Microbiological/ Clinical Unit | 1 1 |
| Formulation/ Analytical Unit | 1 1 |
| Grant Writing/ Publication Unit | 1 1 |
1.7 SUPPORTING STAFF
|
Technologist |
1 |
|
Lab Attendants |
2 |
|
Cleaner/Messenger |
1 |
|
Secretary |
1 |
1.8 Facilities/Equipments
- Facilities
(A) Offices
i Office of the Director 1
ii Office of the Secretary 1
- General office 1
- Office for Research Units 7
- Office for Technical and Laboratory staff 5
- Conference Room 1
(B) Office Furniture
- Executive Table/Chairs and padded seats for Director’s office
- Mini Executive Table and Chairs for four Research units.
iii. Mini executive table and chairs for secretary/Data entry operator
- Mini executive table and chairs for four research assistants
Laboratories
- Drug screening and development laboratory
- Drug excipient and formulation laboratory
Laboratory Equipments
Drug Screening and Development Laboratory
| Laboratory Equipments | Required number |
| (a) High performance liquid Chromatography (HPLC)- Dionesse HPLC | 1 |
| (b) Vacuum liquid chromatographic column with pump | 1 |
| (c) Ordinary columns | 4 |
| (d) Fraction collector | 1 |
| (e) Preparatory Thin layer chromatograph Machine | 1 |
| (f) Sonicator | 1 |
| (g) Lyophilizer | 1 |
| (h) UV Lamp | 1 |
| (i) Soxhlet Extractor | 2 |
| (j) Rotary evaporator | 2 |
| (k) Ultra/Micro centrifuge | 1 |
| (l) Strong freezer | 1 |
| (m) Hemocytometer | 1 |
| (n) Incubator | 3 |
| (o) Inoculation loops | 20 |
| (p) Autoclave | 2 |
| (q) Centrifuge | 2 |
Drug, Excipient and Formulation Laboratory
| Laboratory Equipments | Required number |
| (a) 8 unit Dissolution of apparatus | 1 |
| (b) 2 unit Disintegration unit | 1 |
| (c) Melting point apparatus | 1 |
| (d) UV- visible spectrometer programmed to the computer | 1 |
| (e) Erweka Electronic Hardness tester | 1 |
| (f) Erweka friabilator | 1 |
| (g) Planetary Mixer | 1 |
| (h) Sets of Mortar and Pestle of different sizes | 6 |
| (i) Homogenizer | 1 |
| (j) Electronic weighing balance | 3 |
| (k) Digital pH meter | 2 |
| (l) Nests of sieves | 2 sets |
| (m) Spatula (different sizes) | 10 |
| (n)10 punches rotary tableting machine | 1 |
| (o) Hot air oven | 2 |
| (p) Thermostated water bath shaker | 1 |
| (q) Water Deionizer | 1 |
| (r) Differential scanning calorimeter | 1 |
Secretarial Equipment
- Laptop, printer and scanner (for Director’s office)
- Desktop computer and printer for secretary/Data entry operator
- Desktop computer and printer for clerical office
- Laptop, scanner and internet facility for Grant/publication unit
Project Vehicle
- Toyota Saloon Project Vehicle for the office of the Director
- Project Vehicle (14 seater Hummer Bus) for field work
Glasswares
- 100ml volumetric flask 20
- 200ml volumetric flask 25
- 250ml volumetric flask 25
- 500ml volumetric flask 20
- 50ml Beaker 10
- 100ml 20
- 200ml 20
- 250ml 20
- 500ml 20
- 1000ml 10
- 1ml pipette 20
- Micropipette 20
- 5ml pipette 20
- 10ml pipette 20
- Crucibles 10
- Pycnometer 10
- Test tubes with rack 10 racks
- Test tubes 100 pieces
- 10ml Measuring cylinder 20
- 50ml Measuring cylinder 20
- 100ml Measuring cylinder 20
- 250ml Measuring cylinder 10
Director
- Oversees the research policy and implementation of the institute.
- Oversees the day to day running of the institute and co-ordinate the entire research unit, technical and administrative units of the institute.
- Initiates and formalizes the collaboration between the institute and the other institute/bodies in conjunction with the head of the institution that is the Vice Chancellor.
- Reports directly to the head of the institution, in this case the Vice Chancellor of the University
- Submits annually, progress report of the institute, including grants and collaboration attracted research publication, patents workshops/conferences and any other notable achievement made by the institute to the Vice Chancellor.
- Ensures that the institute attracts sufficient funding from research grants, donor agencies and pharmaceutical and allied industries to ensure its future visibility
- Co-ordinates the institute research training and collaboration with other Research Institutes and Bodies.
Activities of Research Sub-units
- Phytochemical Screening/ Pharmacological/ Biochemical Unit
- Collection and identification of plant and animal parts with bioactive principles
- Isolation and characterization of bioactives from plant and animal sources
- Extraction, fractionation and crystallization of bioactives from plant and animal sources
- Maintenance of voucher specimens of medicinal plants
- Taxonomy classification of medicinal plants
- Screens herbal and bioactives for Pharmacological activity
- Conducts investigation into toxicological properties of isolated active constituents of plants and animals, acute and chronic toxicity studies, histopathology
- Establishes antidotes for accidental poisoning of herbal medicines/bioactive constituents
- Reports directly to the Director
- Microbiological/ Biotech Unit Clinical Unit
- Conducts microbiological assay and bioassay for bioactives
- Screens medicinal plants for anti-microbial properties
- Conducts research into biotech Pharmaceuticals
- Investigates and develops stabilization methods for herbal preparations
- Carries quality control/ Assurance of herbal medicines
- Carries out Pharmacokinetic studies on herbal medicines and bioactives
- Establish protocols for clinical trials of herbal medicines and bioactives in animals and humans
- Secures ethical approvals for animal and human studies involving new drugs, and herbal medicine studies
- Reports directly to the Director
- Formulation Science Unit
- Develops and standardizes new pharmaceutical excipients from local sources
- Carry out functionality testing of new and existing Pharmaceutical excipients.
- Establishes a suitable dosage form for new bioactives
- Formulates suitable dosage forms for herbal medicines and bioactives
- Evaluates formulated products with Pharmacopeia and non Pharmacopeia standards.
- Carry out pilot scale-up of formulated new bioactives and herbal medicines.
- Handle all analysis involving herbal medicines and formulated bioactives
- Handle consultant quality control service for Pharmaceutical and allied companies
- Establishes laboratory standards for analysis of drugs, herbal medicines and excipients in line with international standards
- Conducts training for quality control personnels in the Pharmaceutical industries
- Reports directly to the Director
- Grant writing/ Publications Unit
- Searches for Grants and Grants awarding bodies
- Develops proposal for grants in all areas covered by the institute’s mandate
- Handles publications, patents, research publications arising from the research of the centre with the Director as the anchor of such research publications, patents etc.
- Organizes local, regional and international conferences and workshops for the institute
- Acts as the institute webmaster
- Reports directly to the Director
Personnel Requirements and Qualification
| Position/ Unit | Qualifications |
| Director | The Director must be a Professor with B.Pharm, M.Pharm and Ph.D qualifications in Pharmacy |
| Phytochemical Screening/ Pharmacological/ Biochemical Unit | |
| · Senior Lecturer or Senior Research fellow
(Co-ordinator) |
Ph.D in Pharmacognosy or Pharmaceutical Chemistry with not less than 5 years working experience.
Ph.D in Pharmacology or Clinical Pharmacy with not less than 6 years working experience. Ph.D in Pharmacology with specialization in Toxicology. A bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry is added advantage. At least 5 years working experience. |
| · Lecturer II or Research Fellow II | M.Pharm in Pharmacognosy or Pharmaceutical Chemistry or Ph.D in Botany/ Plant Biology and Biotechnology with or without working experience
M.Pharm in Pharmacology or Ph.D in Pharmacology with or without working experience M. Pharm in Pharmacology or Ph.D in Biochemical Pharmacology with or without working experience |
| Microbiological/Biotech/ Clinical Unit | |
| · Senior Lecturer or Senior Research fellow
(Co-ordinator) |
Ph.D in Pharmaceutical Microbiology or Microbiology with not less than 6 years working experience
Ph.D in Clinical Pharmacy with not less than 6 years working experience |
| · Lecturer II or Research
fellow II |
M. Pharm in Pharmaceutical Microbiology or Ph.D in Microbiology with or without working experience
M.Pharm in Clinical Pharmacy with or without working experience |
| Formulation/ Analytical Unit | |
| · Senior Lecturer or Senior Research fellow
(Co-ordinator) |
PhD or M Pharm in Pharmaceutical Technology or industrial Pharmacy or Physical Pharmaceutics with not less than 6 years working experience |
| · Lecturer II or Research fellow II | M. Pharm in Pharmaceutical technology or Industrial Pharmacy or Physical Pharmaceutics |
| Grant Writing/Publications Unit | |
| · Senior Lecturer or Senior Research fellow (Co-ordinator) | Ph.D in Pharmacy or any of the Biological Sciences. Previous experience in grant writing and at least three paper publications in impact factor rated journal one of which must be in Thomson Reuters. At least not less than 6 years experience |
| · Lecturer I or Research fellow I | M.Pharm in Pharmacy or M.Sc in Biological Sciences with not less than 3years post masters qualification. Experience in grant writing is an added advantage. |
| Research Assistants | Bachelors of Science degree in Microbiology, or Pharmacy, or Botany, or Biochemistry, or Zoology. |
DIRECTOR: Prof. Sabinus Ifeanyi Ofoefule, MPSN, MIPAN, MNAPA, FIIA
Phone no +234-8037905578
Email: sabinus.ofoefule@unn.edu.ng
Contact
Prof S.I Ofoefule
Director,
Institute of Drug –Herbal Medicine- Excipient
Research and Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Enugu State
+2348037905578
