Dr Sion Coulman
Senior Lecturer
Overview
A member of the Drug Discovery, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics (DDPSET) team at Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
I am a highly collaborative researcher that leads and contributes to interdisciplinary teams of scientific and clinical colleagues from both academic and commercial backgrounds, and I am passionate about the translation of scientific research into demonstrable impact. My educational and professional background is pharmacy and pharmaceutical science, and my current research activities relate to the skin (as an organ and a barrier) and optimization of innovative drug delivery systems.
- Registered pharmacist 2002-present
- PhD in drug delivery, Cardiff University, 2007
- MPharm, University of Wales, Cardiff, 2001
Biography
Career profile
I graduated from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 2001 with an MPharm degree and subsequently moved into my pre-registration year in community pharmacy. In the summer of 2002 I became a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Great Britain and began professional practice as a locum pharmacist, working part-time in the community sector.
This coincided with the beginning of my PhD studies at Cardiff University where I spent three years investigating novel transdermal delivery systems for the delivery and expression of exogenous plasmid DNA in human skin. In 2005, whilst completing my PhD studies, I began a short contract at Cardiff University as a Teaching Fellow and it was during this time that I developed my pedagogic interest in numeracy and medicines-based calculations, which is an area of learning and teaching that I remain passionate about.
In the summer of 2006, after graduating with my PhD, I took up a Lectureship at Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and continued to pursue my scientific interests in the use of microneedles for the delivery of vaccines, biologics and nanoparticles into the skin. During this period I forged strong relationships with colleagues in the Physical Sciences and Engineering and developed a more interdisciplinary approach to my research, adopting novel and state-of-the-art analytical methods (for example optical coherence tomography, materials testing and finite element analysis) from other disciplines and applying them to my research interests. I also developed an interest in the use of Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs) for pulmonary drug delivery and initiated research activities in this area, in collaboration with Pharma.
In 2014 I was appointed Senior Lecturer and now have an international network of colleagues and collaborators from academic institutions, industry, regulatory bodies and NGOs. I embrace the truly interdisciplinary nature of the teams that I work in and enjoy leading and/or contributing to a range of projects, all of which remain related to the skin and the development, optimisation and performance of dermal or pulmonary drug delivery systems. My emergent interest in the construction and development of a bio-printer for human skin has also stimulated public interest in my work and has led to a number of enjoyable scientific engagement experiences with a range of audiences.
Professional memberships
- Co-Chair of the Microneedle Array Patch-Regulatory Working Group (MAP-RWG)
- Steering Committee Member for the International Conference on Microneedles; Co-host of the International Conference on Microneedles 2016
- Committee Member for the UK and Ireland Controlled Release Society (UKICRS)
- Member of Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair (CITER)
- STEM Ambassador
Committees and reviewing
- Engagement Committee - Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair Learning
Publications
2022
- Al Dalaty, A., Gualeni, B., Coulman, S. A. and Birchall, J. C. 2022. Models and methods to characterise levonorgestrel release from intradermally administered contraceptives. Drug Delivery and Translational Research 12, pp. 335-349. (10.1007/s13346-021-01091-5)
- Tatovic, D. et al. 2022. Safety of the use of gold nanoparticles conjugated with proinsulin peptide and administered by hollow microneedles as an immunotherapy in Type 1 diabetes. Immunotherapy Advances 2 (10.1093/immadv/ltac002)
2021
- Gualeni, B. et al. 2021. Human-centred design of a new microneedle-based hormonal contraceptive delivery system [version 2; peer review: 2 approved with reservations]. Gates Open Research 5, article number: 96. (10.12688/gatesopenres.13233.2)
- Singh, R. K. et al. 2021. Using gold nanoparticles for enhanced intradermal delivery of poorly soluble auto-antigenic peptides. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine 32, article number: 102321. (10.1016/j.nano.2020.102321)
2020
- Arikat, F. et al. 2020. Targeting proinsulin to local immune cells using an intradermal microneedle delivery system; a potential antigen-specific immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes. Journal of Controlled Release 322, pp. 593-601. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.02.031)
2019
- Dul, M. et al. 2019. Conjugation of a peptide autoantigen to gold nanoparticles for intradermally administered antigen specific immunotherapy. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 562, pp. 303-312. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2019.03.041)
2018
- Gualeni, B. et al. 2018. Minimally-invasive and targeted therapeutic cell delivery to the skin using microneedle devices. British Journal of Dermatology 178(3), pp. 731-739. (10.1111/bjd.15923)
- Davies, L., Gateley, C., Holland, P., Coulman, S. and Birchall, J. 2018. Accelerating topical anaesthesia using microneedles. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology 30(6), pp. 277-283. (10.1159/000479530)
2017
- Moreno, E. et al. 2017. Skin vaccination using microneedles coated with a plasmid DNA cocktail encoding nucleosomal histones of Leishmania spp.. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 533(1), pp. 236-244. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.09.055)
- Dul, M. et al. 2017. Hydrodynamic gene delivery in human skin using a hollow microneedle device. Journal of Controlled Release 265, pp. 120-131. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.02.028)
- Zhao, X., Coulman, S. A., Hanna, S. J., Wong, F. S., Dayan, C. M. and Birchall, J. C. 2017. Formulation of hydrophobic peptides for skin delivery via coated microneedles. Journal of Controlled Release 265, pp. 2-13. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.03.015)
- McGrath, M., Coulman, S., Birchall, J. C. and Prausnitz, M. 2017. Editorial. Journal of Controlled Release 265, pp. 1-1. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.10.030)
- Jones, B., Ecenarro, S., Whiteside, B., Birchall, J. and Coulman, S. 2017. Imaging techniques for dry powder inhaler capsules. Inhalation
2016
- Shelvey, B., Coulman, S. and John, D. 2016. Evaluating an undergraduate interprofessional education session for medical and pharmacy undergraduates on therapeutics and prescribing: the medical student perspective. Advances in Medical Education and Practice 7, pp. 661-670. (10.2147/AMEP.S116618)
- Czubala, M. A. et al. 2016. TGFβ induces a SAMHD1-independent post-entry restriction to HIV-1 infection of human epithelial Langerhans cells. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 136(10), pp. 1981-1989. (10.1016/j.jid.2016.05.123)
- Chong, R. H., Jones, B., Díez, F., Birchall, J. C. and Coulman, S. 2016. Evaluating the sensitivity, reproducibility and flexibility of a method to test hard shell capsules intended for use in dry powder inhalers. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 500(1-2), pp. 316-325. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.01.034)
- Zhao, X. et al. 2016. Microneedle delivery of autoantigen for immunotherapy in type 1 diabetes. Journal of Controlled Release 223, pp. 178-187. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.12.040)
2015
- Alhadj Ali, M. et al. 2015. Topical steroid therapy induces pro-tolerogenic changes in Langerhans cells in human skin. Immunology 146(3), pp. 411-422. (10.1111/imm.12518)
- Alrakaf, S. et al. 2015. An international comparison study of pharmacy students’ achievement goals and their relationship to assessment type and scores. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 79(3), pp. 1-8. (10.5688/ajpe79335)
2014
- Griffiths, C. M., Mantzourani, E. D., Poole, R., Tranter, B., Coulman, S. and John, D. N. 2014. Exploring MPharm students’; opinion on a specialist cancer treatment hospital placement. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 22(S2), pp. 96-97. (10.1111/ijpp.12146)
- Alrakaf, S. et al. 2014. An international validation study of two achievement goal measures in a pharmacy education context. Advances in Medical Education and Practice 2014(5), pp. 339-345. (10.2147/AMEP.S68241)
2013
- Chong, R. et al. 2013. Gene silencing following siRNA delivery to skin via coated steel microneedles: In vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept. Journal of Controlled Release 166(3), pp. 211-219. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.12.030)
- Groves, R. B., Coulman, S., Birchall, J. C. and Evans, S. L. 2013. An anisotropic, hyperelastic model for skin: experimental measurements, finite element modelling and identification of parameters for human and murine skin. Journal of the Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials 18, pp. 167-180. (10.1016/j.jmbbm.2012.10.021)
- Torrisi, B. M., Zarnitsyn, V., Prausnitz, M. R., Anstey, A. V., Gateley, C., Birchall, J. C. and Coulman, S. 2013. Pocketed microneedles for rapid delivery of a liquid-state botulinum toxin A formulation into human skin. Journal of Controlled Release 165(2), pp. 146-152. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.11.010)
- Torrisi, B. M., Birchall, J. C., Jones, B., Díez, F. and Coulman, S. 2013. The development of a sensitive methodology to characterise hard shell capsule puncture by dry powder inhaler pins. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 456(2), pp. 545-552. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2013.08.011)
- Chong, R. H. et al. 2013. Gene silencing following siRNA delivery to skin via coated steel microneedles: In vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept. Journal of Controlled Release 166(3), pp. 211. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.12.030)
2012
- Pearton, M., Saller, V., Coulman, S., Gateley, C., Anstey, A. V., Zarnitsyn, V. and Birchall, J. C. 2012. Microneedle delivery of plasmid DNA to living human skin: Formulation coating, skin insertion and gene expression. Journal of Controlled Release 160(3), pp. 561-569. (10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.04.005)
- Groves, R. B., Coulman, S., Birchall, J. C. and Evans, S. L. 2012. Quantifying the mechanical properties of human skin to optimise future microneedle device design. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering 15(1), pp. 73-82. (10.1080/10255842.2011.596481)
2011
- Chong, R., Coulman, S., Saller, V., Pearton, M., Shah, A., Hargest, R. and Birchall, J. C. 2011. Nucleic acid delivery to skin for the potential treatment of dermatopathogenic conditions [Abstract]. Human Gene Therapy 22(10), pp. A82-A82.
- Smith, M. W., Birchall, J. C. and Coulman, S. 2011. The wider contribution of microbiology to the pharmaceutical sciences. In: Denver, S. P. et al. eds. Hugo and Russell's Pharmaceutical Microbiology 8th Edition. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 463-482.
- Coulman, S. et al. 2011. In vivo, in situ imaging of microneedle insertion into the skin of human volunteers using optical coherence tomography. Pharmaceutical Research 28(1), pp. 66-81. (10.1007/s11095-010-0167-x)
- Groves, R. B., Coulman, S., Birchall, J. C. and Evans, S. L. 2011. Using inverse finite element modeling to identify the anisotropic mechanical properties of human and mouse skin in tension. Presented at: International Conference on the Mechanics of Biomaterials and Tissues, Hawaii, USA, 11-15 December 2011.
2010
- Hughes, M. L., Lo, T., Coulman, S., Deslandes, R., Kell, C. and John, D. 2010. What makes a good lecturer? MPharm students’ views. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 18(s1), pp. 29-30. (10.1111/j.2042-7174.2010.00027.x)
2009
- Ng, K. W. et al. 2009. Development of an ex vivo human skin model for intradermal vaccination: Tissue viability and Langerhans cell behaviour. Vaccine 27(43), pp. 5948-5955. (10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.07.088)
- Ng, K. W. et al. 2009. Tissue viability and Langerhans cell behaviour in an ex-vivo human skin model for cutaneous DNA vaccination [Abstract]. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 61(S1), pp. A1-A5. (10.1211/002235709789037044)
- Coulman, S. 2009. Targeting the delivery of proteins, DNA and vaccines to the skin [Abstract]. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 61(S1), pp. A146., article number: 201. (10.1211/002235709789037080)
- Coulman, S., Anstey, A. V., Gateley, C., Morrissey, A., McLoughlin, P., Allender, C. J. and Birchall, J. C. 2009. Microneedle mediated delivery of nanoparticles into human skin. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 366(1-2), pp. 190-200. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2008.08.040)
- Ng, K. W. et al. 2009. Ex vivo immunological studies using excised human skin. British Journal Of Dermatology 160(4), pp. 921-921.
2006
- Birchall, J. C. et al. 2006. Cutaneous gene expression of plasmid DNA in excised human skin following delivery via microchannels created by radio frequency ablation. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 312(1-2), pp. 15-23. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2005.12.036)
- Coulman, S. et al. 2006. Minimally invasive cutaneous delivery of macromolecules and plasmid DNA via microneedles. Current drug delivery 3(1), pp. 65-75.
2005
- Birchall, J. C. et al. 2005. Cutaneous DNA delivery and gene expression in ex vivo human skin explants via wet-etch microfabricated microneedles. Journal of drug targeting 13(7), pp. 415-421. (10.1080/10611860500383705)
Teaching
- PH1000 Professional Development
- PH1122 The Role of the Pharmacist in Professional Practice
- PH1124 Human Body Systems
- PH2000 Professional Development
- PH2107 Formulation science
- PH3000 Professional Development
- PH3110 Optimisation of Pharmaceutical Care
- PH3202 Research Methodology
- PH4000 Professional Development
- PH4116 Pharmacy research or scholarship project
- PH4118 Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy Practice and the Patient
Assessment and Feedback lead for Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Pharmaceutical Calculations lead for Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research interests
- The skin as a target and gateway for drug delivery
- Microneedle devices
- Capsule based Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs)
- The user-device interface
- Bio-printing human skin
- Numeracy and medicines-based calculations (Pedagogic research)
My scientific research activities and expertise can be broadly categorized into three workstreams, all of which are related to the skin (as an organ and a barrier to drug delivery) and/or optimization of innovative drug delivery systems
I have worked with microneedle devices since 2002, exploring their potential as a minimally invasive method for trans- and intra-dermal delivery of both novel and established active pharmaceutical ingredients, including a range of biologics and vaccines. I have a particular focus on, and passion for, translating the technology from laboratory prototypes to clinically useful and commercially available products. I have contributed to a range of projects and have considerable technical experience in the evaluation of intra- and trans-dermal delivery systems both ex vivo and in vivo. My expertise and publications include the use of innovative methods to evaluate human skin biomechanics, tissue architecture and local immunology, as well as user studies. I am a co-founder of Extraject technologies, a spin out from Cardiff University, which aims to commercialise minimally invasive systems for cell-based therapy in the skin, and am co-Chair of a Working Group (Microneedle Array Patch - Regulatory Working Group; MAP-RWG), which was initiated in 2018 to help define the regulatory pathway for this dosage form and expedite clinical translation of the technology.
I also work closely with major international Pharma to evaluate the performance of established and innovative capsule products to be used in capsule-based dry powder inhalers (DPIs). I helped develop an in vitro testing methodology for capsules that has been, and continues to be, used by the pharmaceutical industry for product development and quality assurance. My aim is to understand and improve the performance of DPIs both in the laboratory and in the hands of the user.
My third area of interest is 3D bio-printing and, more specifically, the development of a skin model using an affordable and commercially available 3D bio-printing platform. This highly innovative area of research has stimulated significant scientific and public interest, which has facilitated a number of engagement opportunities.
I also have a pedagogic interest in numeracy and medicines-based calculations, with a particular focus on the education of pharmacy students and pharmacists in this area. I have developed a contextualized diagnostic numeracy test that has been used at a number UK Schools of Pharmacy and have contributed to activities that have directly informed the education and training of pharmacy and medical students.
