Dr. Ajay K. Banga

Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Co-Director of the Center for Drug Delivery Research

T.P. Haines Endowed Chair in Transdermal Delivery Systems

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Banga

Education

B.S., Pharmacy, University of Delhi
M.S., Pharmaceutics, University of Oklahoma
Ph.D., Pharmaceutics, Rutgers University

Research Background and Interests

Dr. Banga has specialized in formulation development and drug delivery systems. He focuses his research on exploring both traditional and non-traditional methods for topical and transdermal delivery of pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals, particularly for water-soluble small molecules and macromolecules. His laboratory has secured over 100 funded projects from industry and federal grants, all centered on skin delivery systems.

Research Information

Courses

PHA 338 Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry
PHA 742 Foundations in Pharmaceutical Sciences
PHA 799 Thesis Research
PHA 899 Doctoral Research

I believe my responsibility as a teacher is to generate a love for learning in the students that lasts beyond the classroom and beyond pharmacy school. I believe that the greatest and most rewarding contribution I can make to the students is to “generate enthusiasm” for the subject and make them understand the “concepts” by using plenty of examples of how the subject material relates to their future role as a pharmacist or their day-to-day life. Whenever possible, I also relate the material to what they might have learned in other science and pharmacy classes to all come together instead of being compartmentalized into course numbers so and so. It is important for us to keep our skills up-to-date in our respective subject areas and plan the course in such a way that the student is not only responsible but also accountable for learning, with emphasis on concepts rather than detailed information on every little topic. I strive to always treat my students with respect and also learn new things from them in a two-way exchange.

S. Kshirsagar, N. Viswaroopam, M. Ghosh, M. Junaid, S. Haque, J. Khan, S. Muzaffar, R. Srivastava, M. Athar, and A.K. Banga, Development of 4-phenylbutyric acid microsponge gel formulations for the treatment of lewisite-mediated skin injury”, Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2024;
T. Karve and A.K. Banga, Comparative evaluation of physical and chemical enhancement techniques for transdermal delivery of linagliptin, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 654 (2024) 123992;
A.Radmard and A.K. Banga, microneedle-assisted transdermal delivery of lurasidone nanoparticles, Pharmaceutics, 16 (3) (2024) 308;
N. Shrestha and A.K. Banga, Development and evaluation of transdermal delivery system of tranylcypromine for the treatment of depression, Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 13 (2023) 1048.
A. Dandekar, D.Vora, J. Yeh, R. Srivastava, M. Athar, and A.K. Banga, Enhanced Transdermal Delivery of N-acetylcysteine and 4-phenylbutyric acid for Potential Use as Antidotes to Lewisite, AAPS PharmSciTech, 24 (2023) 71.
S. Kshirsagar, T. Kipping, and A.K. Banga, Fabrication of polymeric microneedles using novel vacuum compression molding technique for transdermal drug delivery, Pharmaceutical Research, 39 (2022) 3301.
M. Manian, P. Jain, D. Vora, and A.K. Banga, Formulation and evaluation of the in vitro performance of topical dermatological products containing diclofenac sodium, Pharmaceutics, 14 (9) 1892 (2022).
D. Vora, H. Garimella, C. German, and A.K. Banga, Microneedle and Iontophoresis Mediated Delivery of Methotrexate into and across Healthy and Psoriatic Skin, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 618, 121693 (2022).
M. Junaid, A. Tijani, A. Puri, and A.K. Banga, In vitro percutaneous absorption studies of cannabidiol using human skin: Exploring the effect of drug concentration, chemical enhancers, and essential oils, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 616: 121540 (2022)
B.Bozorg, S. Bhattaccharjee, M. Somayaji and A.K. Banga, Topical and transdermal delivery with diseased human skin: Passive and iontophoretic delivery of hydrocortisone into psoriatic and eczematous skin, Drug Delivery and Translational Research, Jan 2021.
B.Bozorg and A.K. Banga, Effect of different pressure sensitive adhesives on performance parameters of matrix-type transdermal delivery systems, Pharmaceutics, 12 (3) (2020) 209.
S. Bhattaccharjee, K. Murnane, and A.K. Banga Transdermal delivery of breakthrough therapeutics for the management of treatment-resistant and post-partum depression, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 591 (2020) 120007.
Y. Jiang, X. Gao, O. Singh, W. Zhang, V. Agrahari, M. Peet, M. Clark, G. Doncel, and A. Banga, Pharmacokinetics of a weekly transdermal delivery system of tenofovir alafenamide in hairless rats, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 582 (2020) 119342.
B.Bozorg and A.K. Banga, Effect of different pressure sensitive adhesives on performance parameters of matrix-type transdermal delivery systems, Pharmaceutics, 12 (3) (2020) 209.
Y. Jiang, K. Murnane, B. Blough, and A. Banga, Transdermal delivery of the free base of 3-fluoroamphetamine: In vitro skin permeation and irritation potential, AAPS PharmSciTech, 2020 (21) 109.
Y. Kim, S. Bhattacharjee, M. Beck-Broichsitter, and A.K. Banga, Fabrication and characterization of hyaluronic acid microneedles to enhance delivery of magnesium ascorbylphosphate into skin, Biomedical Microdevices, 21 (4) (2019) 104.
P. Bakshi, Y. Jiang, T. Nakata, J. Akaki, N. Matsuoka, and A. Banga, Formulation development and characterization of nanoemulsion-based formulation for topical delivery of heparinoid, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 107 (11) (2018) 2883-2890.
H. Nguyen and A. Banga, Delivery of methotrexate and characterization of skin treated by fabricated PLGA microneedles and fractional ablative laser, Pharmaceutical Research, 35 (2018) 68.
H. Nguyen, B. Bozorg, Y. Kim, A. Wieber, G. Birk, D. Lubda, and A. Banga, Poly (vinyl alcohol) microneedles: fabrication, characterization, and application for transdermal drug delivery of doxorubicin, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 129 (2018) 88-103.
Y. Song, K. Hemmady, A. Puri, and A. Banga, Transdermal delivery of human growth hormone via laser-generated micropores, Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 8 (2) (2018) 450-460.
A.Sivaraman, S.S. Ganti, H.X. Nguyen, G. Birk, A. Weiber, D. Lubda, and A. Banga, Development and evaluation of a polyvinyl alcohol based topical gel, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 39 (2017) 210-216.
A.Puri, H. Nguyen, and A.K. Banga, Microneedle-mediated intradermal delivery of epigallocatechin-3-gallate, International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 38 (5) (2016) 512-523.
Y. Bai, V.Sachdeva, H.Kim, P.M. Friden and A.K. Banga, Transdermal delivery of proteins using a combination of iontophoresis and microporation, Therapeutic Delivery, 5(5) (2014) 525-536.
G. Bhatia, Y. Zhou, and A. Banga, Adapalene microemulsion for transfollicular drug delivery, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 102 (8) (2013) 2622-2631.
M. Abla and A.K. Banga, Quantification of skin penetration of antioxidants of varying lipophilicity, International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 35 (1) (2013) 19-26.
P. Jain and A. Banga, Induction and inhibition of crystallization in drug-in-adhesive-type transdermal patches, Pharmaceutical Research, 30(2) (2013) 562-571.
V. Sachdeva, Y. Zhou, and A. Banga, In vivo transdermal delivery of leuprolide using microneedles and iontophoresis, Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, 14 (2) (2013) 180-193.
N. Singh and A. Banga, Controlled delivery of ropinirole hydrochloride through skin using modulated iontophoresis and microneedles, Journal of Drug Targeting, 21 (4) (2013) 354-366.
V. Sachdeva, Y. Bai, A. Kydonieus, and A. Banga, Formulation and optimization of desogestrel transdermal contraceptive patch using crystallization studies, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 441 (2013) 9-18.
M. Abla and A.K. Banga, Quantification of skin penetration of antioxidants of varying lipophilicity, International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 35 (1) (2013) 19-26.
V. Sachdeva, Y. Zhou, and A. Banga, In vivo transdermal delivery of leuprolide using microneedles and iontophoresis, Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, 14 (2) (2013) 180-193.
P. Jain, S. Sonti, J. Garruto, R. Mehta, and A. Banga, Formulation optimization, skin irritation, and efficacy characterization of a novel skin lightening agent, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 11(2) (2012) 101-10.
S. Siddoju, V. Sachdeva, P. Friden, Y.Yu, and A. Banga, Acyclovir skin depot characterization following in vivo iontophoretic delivery. Skin Research and Technology, 17(2) (2011) 234-244.
H. Kalluri and A. Banga, Formation and closure of microchannels in skin following microporation, Pharmaceutical Research, 28(1) (2011) 82-94.

Contact Dr. Ajay K. Banga

Moye Pharmacy and Health Sciences Center, #269
banga_ak@mercer.edu
(678) 547-6243