THE GROUP
HELEN CAULDBECK
Helen is a Unilever Research Fellow and head of the Radiomaterials Laboratory within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Liverpool. She is a radiochemist with >13 years’ research experience working at the interface of materials chemistry and nanomedicine. Helen’s current research focuses on the development of novel in vitro and ex vivo models to monitor drug delivery from therapeutic microneedle arrays, as well as other polymeric drug delivery platforms. Her focus on the use of radiometrics for the development of drug delivery platforms allows further understanding of formulation processes.
KATIE OLLERTON
2nd Year PhD Student
Katie graduated from the University of Liverpool with a First Class Master of Chemistry in 2022. Her 3rd year was spent investigating the use of enabling technology for supramolecular chemistry and later completed a summer research project in flow chemistry for the nanoprecipitation of polymeric nanoparticles. Her 4th year project involved the synthesis of dual-responsive, degradable nanogels, for the application of in situ forming implants, which she then pursued during a 4-week summer internship. Katie began her PhD, funded by Unilever, in October 2022 investigating the impact of formulation parameters on deodorant microstructures and the delivery of active ingredients through the skin.
ELLIOT CROFT
Postdoctoral Researcher
Elliot holds 1st class MChem degree in Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology from the University of Liverpool. During his undergraduate studies, Elliot undertook research projects focusing on polymer synthesis and controlling the size of inorganic nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery. In October 2019 Elliot became a part of the University of Liverpool Doctoral Network in Technologies for Health Ageing during his PhD, which focused on the development of dissolvable microneedle array patches (DMAPs) for user-directed ophthalmic drug delivery for the treatment of glaucoma, a world leading cause of blindness. The main focus involved investigating the physicochemical behaviour of polymeric materials, the utilisation of radioisotopes for drug tracking within ex vivo models and polymeric-prodrug conjugate synthesis.
Upon completion in December 2023, Elliot began working as Postdoctoral Research Associate, supervised by Dr Helen Cauldbeck focusing on concepts and collaborative work involving radiochemistry and radio materials.
SAM MORRIS
Postdoctoral Researcher
Sam graduated with a 1st class MChem degree from the University of Liverpool in 2019. During his studies Sam worked within the Functional Materials team; completing a third-year research project on reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerisation, and a summer research project on the analysis of post-consumer HDPE resins in collaboration with Unilever. Sam began working towards a PhD focussing on dissolvable microneedle array patches for malaria prophylaxis as well as the radiometric analysis of drug release using an ex-vivo model.​
At the end of 2023, Sam took a postdoctoral role, funded by Unilever, to develop new radiological techniques to support their global product understanding and development programmes.
MARK LONG
Unilever Radiochemist
Mark completed his first degree in 1993 and completed a PhD in Chemistry supervised by Francis Livens (University of Manchester) and Steve Rannard (University of Liverpool) in 2015 which focussed on the incorporation of radioisotopes into conventional polymers prepared by controlled polymerisation techniques. Having joined Unilever in 1987, Mark has spent over 30 years researching home and personal care products using radiochemistry to develop and analyse various formulations.
PREVIOUS MEMBERS
ALEXANDER SUERO
THANDI RUTHERFORD
EMILY HEATH
MChem 2018/19
MSc 2020/21
MChem 2022/23