Recent advances on natural product formulations

A multidisciplinary collaborative BIP Program within 6 CIVIS member Universities, 4 CIVIS African partner Universities and 10 non-CIVIS partners is proposed.

Participants will engage with various aspects designed to enhance their knowledge, bridge theory with practical experiences (e.g., research labs and wet labs), and gain advanced expertise, with a focus on chemistry of natural products, formulation of natural products, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics.

The primary objective of this proposal is to deliver and exchange current knowledge and advanced research across four fundamental topics: Natural Products Chemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmacokinetics, and Biotechnology.

Students will learn and improve their knowledge on:

• important natural products and their applications;
• the phytochemistry;
• the use and safety of herbal medicinal products carefully interpreting the monographs and the claims of the European Medicine Agency (EMA);
• natural products formulations and pharmacological activities;
• the preformulation studies and formulation of various dosage forms, how to select the best dosage form;
• a Quality-by-Design (QbD) approach to pharmaceutical product development describing the operations in pharmaceutical manufacturing, stability, quality control, materials handling, packaging, and basic unit operations;
• absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties;
• antibiotic target areas, classical and new molecular targets, methods for their elucidation;
• lipid - and polymer – based drug delivery systems;
• basic concepts and advances in drug delivery and targeting;
• the biopharmaceutics issues of the administration of natural products and the technological approaches;
• in vivo bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, of orally administered natural products, as well as possible alternative routes of administration.

The physical mobility section of the BIP will take place between 6-10 July 2026, in Rome, Italy. During this time, the participants will be able to combine theory with practice through working on small laboratory exercises in collaboration with local Ph.D. and master’s students-volunteers. During the exercises, different laboratory techniques widely used in Chemistry of Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Technology will be shown.

Furthermore, the participants will be able to create important networking opportunities, having the chance to meet and discuss with distinguished scientists with the scope of creating bonds for future collaborations. They will also visit a Pharmaceutical industry and the Botanical Garden of Rome, which features a section called the "Giardino dei Semplici,"  dedicated to the cultivation of medicinal plants.

The virtual component will take place between 22 June - 3 July 2026, from Monday to Friday, to prior equip participants with the foundational knowledge needed for the in-person sessions with basic and advanced theory through lectures.

The virtual components will also offer students the flexibility to learn and revisit the material at their convenience. Multimedia resources, such as videos, will be available to reinforce key topics and can be accessed at any time.

Evaluation will be based on their participation and their presentation during the virtual lessons and the physical activity. The assessment of students in the BIP will focus on key skills, knowledge, teamwork, and competencies developed throughout the project.

Motivation Letter

CV

The applications will be evaluated according to the:

• quality, clarity and detail of motivation;
• clarity of the CV.

The program involves also Academics as Guest speakers from CIVIS and non-CIVIS Universities and Institutions in order to provide the participants a wide range of current research in advanced natural product formulations. 

See the instructors' biographies

External partners

• Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy
• University of Pretoria-South Africa
• Yeditepe University
• Hacettepe University
• Biruni University
• Polish Academy of Sciences
• University of Camerino
• University of Milan
• National Hellenic Research Foundation
• Bulgarian Academy of Sciences