Photo of Professor Neill Liptrott

Professor Neill Liptrott BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, FHEA, FRSB

Chair in Pharmacology & Immunocompatibility Pharmacology & Therapeutics

About

Personal Statement

Prof. Liptrott has a background in pharmacology, immunology, and molecular cell biology. He was awarded a tenure-track fellowship (2015) within the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics before becoming a Lecturer (2018), Reader (2021) and subsequently Professor (2024) where he leads many advanced therapeutics/materials immunocompatibility research projects and programs.

His research is aimed at investigating the biological interactions of conventional and nanotechnology-enabled medicines and therapeutics as well as other novel therapeutic strategies such as cellular therapies. This work encompasses the assessment of the immunocompatibility and immunomodulatory potential of these advanced therapeutics and complex medicines. An understanding of these, potential, interactions is vital to preclinical evaluation as well as enabling the future rational design of nanomaterials and therapies, and inflammation is key event in many Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs).

In addition to immune and haematological systems, Prof. Liptrott's team is also investigating impacts on cellular health and metabolism that may underpin these interactions, to link Critical Quality Attributes to biological performance using established and novel techniques. To date, the team's research has supported the successful translation of solid drug nanoparticle formulations through GMP manufacture towards healthy volunteer bioequivalence studies. The group continues to support developers of advanced therapeutics and complex medicines to reach clinical studies.

Prof. Liptrott is the coordinator for the Nanotherapeutics Hub (NTH), Biocompatibility Theme Lead for the Centre of Excellence for Long-acting Therapeutics (CELT), member of the Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre (IDDC) steering committee, member of the Executive Board, Core Expert Team (CET) and Assay Group Leader (Immunotoxicity and Haematoxicity) for the European Nanomedicine Characterisation Laboratory (EUNCL), and platform manager for Nanotherapeutics within the Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON).

Memberships of Professional Bodies and Learned Societies:
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB) [2022]
- Co-leader, Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences Nanomedicine Focus Group [2022]
- Member of the British Toxicological Society [2019]
- Member of the British Pharmacological Society [2019]
- Member of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM, committee membership E56 – nanomedicines) [2018]
- Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (FHEA) [2018]
- Member of the European Society for Nanomedicine [2013]
- Executive Board member of the British Society for Nanomedicine [2011]
- Member of the British Society for Immunology [2004]

Keywords: advanced therapies and therapeutics, liposomes, lipidic nanoparticles (LNP), vaccines, gene delivery, nucleic acid therapeutics, Complement, Complosome, CARPA, pseudoallergy, hypersensitivity, complex medicines, extracellular vesicles, exosomes, nanoparticles, nanomedicines, nanotherapeutics, biomaterials, biocompatibility, immunology, immunotoxicology, immune engineering, intracellular drug delivery (ICD), immune response, drug disposition, human immune cells, immune metabolism, microenvironment, membrane transporters, biocompatibility.

Prizes or Honours

  • Young Investigator Award (CROI Foundation, 2013)
  • Young Investigator Award (CROI Foundation, 2012)
  • Young Investigator Award (CROI Foundation, 2010)
  • Young Investigator Award (CROI Foundation, 2009)
  • Pre-doctoral Poster Presentation (International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX), 2006)