Professor Sanjay Garg

Your Partner in Translational Pharmaceutical Research: From Molecules to Medicines

Recent Media Releases

3D Printing of Oesophageal stents for anticancer drug delivery: UniSA and 7News

US FDA Approval and commercial launch of a Vaginal Contraceptive: UniSA and 7News

Improved Bioavailability of Curcumin: UniSA and 7News

Background

Professor Sanjay Garg is a pharmaceutical scientist with a passion for research and teaching in translational drug development and delivery and a mission to make lives better for our patients. He is the Co-Director of the Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation (CPI) and leads the Pharmaceutical Innovation and Development Group (PIDG). His interdisciplinary research is based on the principles of engagement, innovation, translation, and impact.

Prof Garg is a pharmacist and completed PhD from the National Institute of Immunology, India. He joined the Program for Topical Prevention of Conception and Disease (TOPCAD) at Rush University, Chicago (1995-1998) the USA, developing novel microbicides compounds and formulations. Several of his patented formulations have reached clinical stages and market in the USA, India, New Zealand, UK, and Australia, e.g., Acidform (USA Patent 6706276) has been approved by FDA as a non-hormonal contraceptive (Phexxi) and is marketed in the USA. During his tenure with the University of Auckland, New Zealand (2003-2011), he established AnQual Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliant analytical laboratory. Acting as Deputy Head of the Auckland Pharmacy School, he played a critical role in establishing research and post-graduate program.

Research Focus

Prof Garg's team at PIDG is focusing on novel anticancer drug delivery systems, nanotechnology, antibacterial compounds and formulations for superbugs, wound healing, and veterinary formulations. He continues to work on cross-disciplinary projects that benefit patients directly.

• Cancer Drug Targeting: His team is exploring both local as well as systemic delivery approaches. To achieve site-specific targeting, Souha, Sang and Alaa are using 3D printing for localized targeting of anticancer drugs. 
• Infections: Prof Garg has a strong record of accomplishment in working with the development of novel antimicrobial compounds and formulations for human and veterinary applications. In phenomenally successful partnership with Prof Darren Trott from the Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology (ACARE) at the University of Adelaide, Prof Adam McCluskey (University of Newcastle), Dr Stephen Page (Luoda Pharma and Neoculi Ltd), Dr Sam Abraham (Murdoch University) and alongside others, he is leading the preclinical development of new drug candidates and formulations active against resistant pathogens. Recent patents (US9775818 and US 9539223) on methods for treating bacterial infections cover the output from these efforts. In collaboration with Prof Allison Cowin (Future Industries Institute), PhD students Pivian and Fatima are assessing the role of pH in wound healing and developing new therapeutics.
• Veterinary Delivery Systems: Working on collaborative and sponsored projects with several companies, his team is rapidly developing expertise in veterinary delivery systems for cattle, horses, pigs, cats, dogs, and fish. An innovative injectable IM formulation of the highly unstable drug Omeprazole is revolutionizing the treatment of equine gastric ulcers. The preparation is in the process of registration with the European agencies. Formulations for antimicrobial compounds have gone through clinical evaluation in mastitis in cows. The application of lessons learned from human pharmaceuticals to veterinary preparations is helping in finding innovative ways of delivering drugs to animals in swine farms and aquaculture, not only improving the health and well-being of the animals but the safety and quality of products for human consumption.
• Other Patient-centric Projects: He continues to work on projects that benefit patients directly and are at the crossroads of pharmacy practice and science, e.g., extemporaneous compounding and analysis of drugs in human milk. 

Research Outputs and Awards

With the research team, Prof Garg has published 243 peer-reviewed papers, forty-four patents, twenty-four book chapters, edited four books, and successfully completed technology transfers for twelve products, leading to h index of 58 (Google Scholar). He has supervised 225 research scholars at all levels, including nine current PhD students

In 2015, Prof Garg was honoured with the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) Medal. He was a finalist for the Research Impact Awards 2018 at UniSA. Some other awards that he has received include the President's Medal from the South Australian Indian Medical Association (SAIMA), Butland Award for Excellence in Research Supervision, Young Pharmacy Teacher of the Year, and Fellowship of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association.

Collaborations

Prof Garg collaborates with several human and animal pharmaceutical, biotechnological, nutrition, and complementary medicine companies through private and partnership grants. His research has been supported by Govt. agencies, Foundations and Pharmaceutical companies (e.g.  Australian Research Council (ARC), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) New Zealand, Contraception Research and Development Program (CONRAD), USA; International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM), USA, and many others. He regularly reviews grants from ARC, NHMRC, and National agencies from Brazil, the UK, Singapore, Ireland, South Africa, and Hongkong. 

He is passionate about international engagement and acts as Co-Director of the China-Australia Centre for Health Science Research (CACHSR), in collaboration with Shandong University, China. Prof Garg has ongoing adjunct appointments with the International Medical University (IMU), Malaysia and the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) India. His research collaborations extend to the USA, Canada, Brazil, India, Malaysia, and China, and he is very keen to develop new links, especially research staff and student exchanges for the short or long term.

Research Facilities

Prof Garg's laboratories are in the new 247 million AUD purpose-built Health Innovation Building in the City West Adelaide. The labs are well equipped with small and pilot-scale pharmaceutical development, analysis, and characterization equipment for various dosage forms. 

• Scientific Advisory Committee Member, Australasian Pharmaceutical Sciences Association (APSA);  Executive Committee Member 2009-2014
• Director, Board Member and Chair, Students Affairs Committee, International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), Australasia (2008-2014)
• Controlled Release Society (CRS)
• Life member and ex-secretary, Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), India
• Project Management Institute, USA

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy National Institute of immunology, India

• Master of Pharmacy University of Delhi, India

• Master of Management University of Auckland, New Zealand

Work history

Jan 2012 to present: Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Director, Centre for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics (CCDT), University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. Director, China Australia Centre for Health Science Research; Adjunct Professor, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Malaysia;  JSS college of Pharmacy and Manipal College of Pharmacy, India.

Jun 2003­ to Dec 2011: Associate Professor and Deputy Head, School of Pharmacy, University of Auckland; Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, AnQual GLP Laboratories.

Jul 2002 to May 2003 Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, India; Assistant Professor from May 1998 to June 2002.

Apr 1995 to Apr 1998 Product Development Research Scientist and Assistant Professor, The Program for Topical Prevention of Conception and Disease (TOPCAD), Section of Ob/Gyn. Research, Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Centre, Rush University, Chicago, USA.

Jul 1994 to Mar 1995 Research Associate, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India.

Jul 1989 to Jul 1990 Product Executive with a Pharmaceutical Company, New Delhi, India.