| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/C009541/1 |
| Title: |
Combining On-line Imaging and Crystal Structure Modelling for Shape Measurement and Manipulation of Pharmaceutical Crystals Grown from Solution |
| Principal Investigator: |
Wang, Professor X |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Inst of Particle Science & Engineering |
| Organisation: |
University of Leeds |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 October 2005 |
Ends: |
30 June 2009 |
Value (£): |
315,524
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Analytical Science |
Design of Process systems |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Pharmaceutical crystals grown from solution are known to exhibit multiple morphology and habits which are of great importance to the end use property of the product such as the bioavailability and down stream processing such as filtration and drying. The crystal morphology can also dictate other product quality measures such as the size. In a PhD project due to our collaboration with the pharmaceutical manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, and Malvern Instruments Ltd - a world leader in particulate system sensing and characterisation, we investigated a prototype on-line imaging system for in-process monitoring of crystal shape and found that it can capture crystal shape and polymorph transition in real-time with high fidelity. However, the prototype only allows qualitative visual display of the shape to human operators. In this research project, we propose further development of the system by converting the qualitative information to quantitative so that the images can be used for high level quality monitoring and control, and by developing an approach to constructing 3D crystal shape from 2D images through introducing crystal structure modelling and prediction into the system. 3D crystal shape information will allow the crystal growth rates of individual faces of a crystal to be calculated. Crystal face growth rates are of great importance but so far have only been measured based on a spherical crystal shape assumption. The proposed developments will lead to a significant step change in the capability and performance of the imaging prototype and provide a system that enables on-line quantitative as well as qualitative measurement of crystal shape and facilitate quality monitoring and shape control in pharmaceutical product manufacturing.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.leeds.ac.uk |