What inspired you to pursue this research topic, and how has your understanding of it evolved throughout your PhD journey?
As a Pharmacist, I have always been fascinated by how complex biological and pharmaceutical systems can be understood through a combination of experiments and molecular-level modeling. When I joined SwedNess, I became particularly interested in the challenge of oral peptide delivery. Peptide drugs have enormous therapeutic potential, but their poor intestinal permeability makes oral administration extremely difficult. Sodium caprate is a promising permeation enhancer, yet many aspects of its behavior in the intestinal environment remained unclear.
At the beginning of my PhD, I mainly viewed sodium caprate as a formulation excipient. Over time, my understanding evolved toward seeing it as a dynamic self-assembling system whose structure changes depending on pH, concentration, and the surrounding biological environment. By combining coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with scattering techniques such as SAXS and SANS, I learned how molecular interactions at the nanoscale can determine the performance of pharmaceutical formulations.
Can you describe a key finding or insight from your research that you’re especially proud of – and why it matters in your field?
One achievement I am particularly proud of is establishing a complementary experimental and computational framework that can accurately describe the self-assembly behavior of sodium caprate under biologically relevant conditions. By systematically comparing simulations with SAXS, SANS, DLS, and cryo-TEM data, we were able to characterize how sodium caprate organizes itself in complex environments, including simulated intestinal fluids and peptide-containing systems.
What makes this important is that formulation scientists often need to understand structures that are difficult to observe directly. Our work demonstrates how combining simulations with advanced structural characterization can provide a much deeper understanding of colloidal architectures. This knowledge can help guide the rational design of more effective oral peptide formulations instead of relying solely on trial-and-error approaches.
How do you hope your research will be used or built upon after your defense – whether in academia, industry, or society at large?
I hope that the methodology developed in my thesis will serve as a platform for future studies of lipid-based and self-assembling pharmaceutical systems. Although my work focused on sodium caprate, the framework is broadly applicable to other amphiphilic molecules and drug delivery systems.
In academia, I hope researchers will build on this approach to better understand complex biological and colloidal environments. In industry, I believe the insights can support the development of more efficient oral peptide formulations, potentially improving patient convenience and treatment adherence by reducing the need for injections. Ultimately, any advance that helps make peptide therapeutics easier to administer could have a meaningful impact on healthcare and patients’ quality of life.
What role has SwedNess played in your journey?
SwedNess has played a crucial role in my PhD journey, both as the main funding provider and as a platform for scientific and professional development. One of the most valuable aspects of being part of SwedNess was the wide range of training courses, workshops, and network activities it offered. Through these opportunities, I gained hands-on knowledge of different scattering techniques, including neutron and X-ray scattering methods, which later became central tools in my PhD research.
SwedNess also gave me access to a unique network of researchers and experts in neutron science and pharmaceutical research. Through meetings, training schools, and conferences, I had the opportunity to discuss my work with leading scientists, exchange ideas, and receive valuable feedback that helped shape my project. Most importantly, the knowledge and connections I gained through SwedNess directly contributed to the development of my research.
In many ways, SwedNess provided not only financial support but also the training, expertise, and collaborative environment that helped me grow into an independent researcher.
What’s next for you? Where is your journey taking you after the defense?
After my defense, I would like to continue working at the intersection of molecular modeling, advanced characterization techniques, and pharmaceutical formulation science. Whether in academia or industry, I hope to contribute to the development of innovative drug delivery systems that can bring advanced therapeutics closer to patients. I am particularly interested in research that combines fundamental understanding of self-assembly with practical pharmaceutical applications, helping translate scientific discoveries into real-world healthcare solutions.
