Medway school of pharmacy

Taravat received her Pharm.D. (Pharmacy Doctorate) from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1992 and PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (QSAR) from Liverpool John Moores University in 1996. She held lectureship and senior lectureship positions at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and postdoctoral researcher position at Liverpool John Moores University and visiting research fellow position at University College London before taking up her post at Medway School of Pharmacy in September 2005. Her research is focused primarily on ADME properties’ estimation using chemoinformatics and bioinformatics tools, with a main focus on drug absorption and distribution and excretion and the role of transporters in these processes. Her interest on skin permeability is her other major research portfolio currently directed at the use of data mining tools for investigating the effects of experimental variables and mixture ingredients on the skin absorption measures and the QSAR model development activities.

Taravat is the module leader of Medicines Design and Manufacture 3 (MP3) within the MPharm Programme.

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The current research is mainly focused ADMET properties, skin penetration and solubility. These are pursued mainly through the use of chemoinformatics and bioinformatics tools and QSAR. She employs molecular modelling software and data mining tools for the development of predictive models. Dr Ghafourian’s current projects and interests in this field are

• Volume of distribution: Computational techniques for the estimation of volume of distribution can help reduce the use of laboratory animals in drug discovery settings. Current projects are aimed towards improved QSAR and Physiology-Based Pharmacokinetic models for the estimation of VD.
• Intestinal absorption, biliary Excretion and the role of transporters: At Medway School of Pharmacy, the relevant data sets are continually updated for these projects. Novel data mining tools are employed for the development of linear and non-linear models and the effect of transporters in these pharmacokinetic properties is currently under investigation.
• Skin permeability and the effect of mixture components: Rationalization of the effect of formulation factors on the skin permeability is the subject of interest both to formulation scientists and environmental toxicologists. At Medway School of Pharmacy, research is focused on the effects of formulation ingredients such as surfactants, terpenes and other chemical enhancers on the skin penetration of drugs.
• Estimation of drug solubility: Not only that suitable aqueous solubility is required for successful formulation of drugs, it is a prerequisite to the drug absorption. The ongoing project deals with the estimation of aqueous solubility and characterization of the effects of co-solvents.

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• T. Ghafourian, E.G. Samaras, J.D. Brooks, J.E. Riviere, Validated  models for predicting skin penetration from different vehicles, Eur. J. Pharm. Sci., 41, 612–616 (2010).
• A. Jouyban, M.A.A. Fakhree, A. Shayanfar, T. Ghafourian, QSPR Modeling Using Catalan Solvent and Solute Parameters, J. Braz. Chem. Soc., 22(4), 684-692, (2011).
• T. Ghafourian, E.G. Samaras, J.D. Brooks, J.E. Riviere, Modelling the effect of mixture components on permeation through skin, Int. J. Pharm. 398 (1-2), 28-32 (2010).
• T. Ghafourian, A.H.A, Bozorgi, Estimation of drug solubility in water, PEG 400 and their binary mixtures using the molecular structures of solutes, Eur. J. Pharm. Sci., 40 (5), 430-440 (2010)
• A. Jouyban, J. Shokri, M. Barzegar-Jalali, D. Hassanzadeh, W.E. Acree, T. Ghafourian, A. Nokhodchi, Solubility prediction of clonazepam in aqueous mixtures of ethanol, polyethyleneglycol 200 and propylene glycol at 30 °C, J. Drug Del. Sci. Technol., 20 (2), 149-151 (2010)
• A. Jouyban, J. Shokri, M. Barzegar-Jalali, D. Hassanzadeh, W.E. Acree, T. Ghafourian, A. Nokhodchi, Solubility of Benzodiazepines in Polyethylene Glycol 200+Water Mixtures at 303.2 K, J. Chem. Eng. Data, 55 (1) 519-522 (2010).
• A. Jouyban, J. Shokri, M. Barzegar-Jalali, D. Hassanzadeh,W.E. Acree, Jr., T. Ghafourian, A. Nokhodchi, Solubility of Chlordiazepoxide, Diazepam, and Lorazepam in Ethanol + Water Mixtures at 303.2 K, J. Chem. Eng. Data, 54, 2142–2145 (2009).
• Jouyban A., Azarmir O., Mirzaei S., Hassanzadeh D., Ghafourian T., Acree W.E., Nokhodchi A., Solubility Prediction of Paracetamol in Water–Ethanol–Propylene Glycol Mixtures at 25 and 30 °C Using Practical Approaches, Chem. Pharm. Bull. 56 (2008) 602—606.
• Dastmalchi, S., Hamzeh-Mivehroud M., Ghafourian T., Hamzeiy H., Molecular modelling of histamine H3 receptor and QSAR studies on arylbenzofuran derived H3 antagonists, Journal of Molecular Graphics and modelling, 26 (2008) 834–844.
• Gafourian T., Safari A., Adibkia K., Parviz F.,Nokhodchi A., Drug Release Study From Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) Matrices Using QSPR Modeling, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 96 (2007) 3334–3351.
• Dastmalchi, S, Hamzeh-Mivehroud M, Ghafourian T (2007). Molecular modelling of histamine H3 receptor and QSAR studies on arylbenzofuran derived H3 antagonists. Journal of Molecular Graphics, In Press
• Nokhodchi A, Sharabiani K, Rashidi MR, Ghaourian T (2007). The effect of terpene concentrations on the skin penetration of diclofenac sodium. Int J Pharm 335: 97-105
• Ghafourian T, Barzegar-Jalali M, Dastmalchi S, Khavari-Khorasani T, Hakimiha N, Nokhodchi A (2006). QSPR models for the prediction of apparent volume of distribution. Int J Pharm 319: 82–97
• Ghafourian T, Cronin, TDM (2006). The effect of variable selection on nonlinear modelling of oestrogen receptor binding. QSAR & Combinatorial Chemistry 25: 824 - 835
• Ghafourian T, Cronin, TDM (2005). The impact of variable selection on the modelling of oestrogenicity. SAR QSAR Environ Sci 16: 171-190
• Ghafourian T, Zand-Asrar P, Hamishekar, H, Nokhodchi, A (2004). The effect of penetration enhancers on drug delivery through skin: A QSAR study. Journal of Controlled release. 99: 113-125
• Ghafourian T, Cronin, TDM (2004). Comparison of Electrotopological-State Indices Versus Atomic Charge and Superdelocalisability Indices in a QSAR Study of Receptor Binding Properties of Halogenated Estradiol Derivatives. Molecular Diversity 8: 343-355
• Abraham MH, Hassanisadi M, Jalali-Heravi M, Ghafourian T, Cain WS, Cometto-Muniz E (2003). Draize rabbit eye test compatibility with eye irritation thresholds in humans: A quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis. Toxicol Sci 76: 384-391
• Ghafourian T, and Rashidi MR (2001). Quantitative study of structural requirements of phthalazine/quinazoline derivatives for interaction with human liver aldehyde oxidase. Chem Pharm Bull 49: 1066-1071
  

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