Students at the University of Sunderland’s School of Pharmacy will benefit from new state of the art equipment thanks to former student and inventor of the Gamlen Tablet Press, Doctor Michael Gamlen.
Dr Gamlen, who studied Pharmacy at the University from 1973-76, returned to City campus this week (Monday 16 October) alongside his wife Alice Noon, to gift one of his tablet press machines to students at the School of Pharmacy.
The tablet press – or powder compaction analyser – is on loan to the University for five years.
Explaining more about the machine and how students will benefit, Dr Gamlen said: “It allows you to make tablets under tightly controlled conditions and enables you to make accurate comparisons between different materials and processes. The students will be able to easily see the impact of the tablet compaction conditions on tablet properties. This is very important to understand when developing new tablet formulations and manufacturing products.
“The instrument is already used by many leading universities including Imperial College London, Rutgers University, MIT and Copenhagen university and I wanted to make it available to the students at my academic birthplace in Sunderland.”
Dr Paul Carter, practising Community Pharmacist and Senior Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University, said: “Our School of Pharmacy has a very strong alumni association, and we are very grateful to Dr Gamlen for providing education and research opportunities for both undergraduates and postgraduate students. Our continued relationship means both staff and students are benefiting greatly from Dr Gamlen’s considerable experience and skills.
“We are always open to strengthening links with are alumni members and this is a great example of how the alumni network is able to support and help us progress in our teaching and research.”