LyoHUB/ChE PhD Candidate receives Fulbright Scholarship to conduct freeze drying research in Torino, Italy

Isaac Wheeler, a chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate and LyoHUB researcher, has received a Fulbright Open Study/Research Award to conduct freeze drying research in Torino, Italy.

The Fulbright Scholar Program, established in 1946, was created to connect the world, improving intercultural relationships, competence, and diplomacy through academic and professional dialogue. It is awarded to United States citizens who will hold a bachelor's degree by the program's start date but do not currently have a Ph.D. With more than 800 awards presented annually, recipients of the fellowship have the opportunity to conduct research, teach, or study in over 140 countries.

Wheeler will spend nine months collaborating with Professor Davide Fissore and Professor Roberto Pisano in the LyoLab at the Politecnico di Torino. Lyophilization, also known as freeze drying, is a critical processing step for many cutting-edge biopharmaceuticals. Isaac's focus will be on refining models of the freezing step process to ascertain information on the resulting porous structures and how the structures vary. Gathering this data facilitates evaluation of mass transfer resistance, a parameter fundamental to interpreting and improving the primary drying step of lyophilization.

"By linking information from each step of the process, I hope to generate estimates of mass transfer resistance from first principles, reducing the number of experiments needed for lyophilization cycle development," said Wheeler. "A further use of these models would be to provide a quantitative basis for reducing drying time by designing formulations to minimize mass transfer resistance, helping to cut cost and improve throughput for a common pharmaceutical process."

About LyoHUB (lyohub.org)

The Advanced Lyophilization Technology Hub (LyoHUB) is a consortium based at Purdue University, which is committed to advancing the science and technology of lyophilization (freeze-drying) to improve the quality and efficiency of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The collaborative nature of the consortium brings together over 30 industry partners, along with academia and government, to innovate and disseminate best practices in lyophilization. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, LyoHUB aims to enhance the understanding of freeze-drying processes, develop new methodologies, and provide training and resources to ensure the reliable production of high-quality lyophilized products, ultimately benefiting patients.