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Dr Hani Al-Salami

Senior Lecturer
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences

Biotechnology and Drug Development Research Laboratory

Dr Hani Al-Salami is an AHPRA-registered Australian and New Zealand pharmacist, clinician and academic. He is the Program Lead in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Curtin Medical School and Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute. Originally from New Zealand, Dr Al-Salami completed his pharmacy training at the University of Otago and later undertook postdoctoral training at McGill University and Micropharma Ltd in Montreal, working with leading pioneers in nano and microencapsulation.  

About

Dr Al-Salami’s research focuses on drug delivery, nanotechnology and therapeutic development for metabolic, neurodegenerative and hearing disorders. His team develops innovative approaches to improve treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes, including award-winning work in inner-ear drug delivery for hearing loss.

His research is supported by the Australian Medical Research Council, the European Horizon 2020 programme, Cures Within Reach (USA) and international pharmaceutical partners.

 
  • Member of the CardioMetabolic Research Group (University of Western Australia)
    Editorial board member of the Trend Journal of Sciences Research
    Editorial board member of The Journal of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus
    Member of the Standards Committee (Austrlian Pharmacy Guild)
    Full member of the Program of Research on Metabolic Health (Curtin University)
    Registered Australian pharmacist (Pharmacy Board of Australia)
    Registered New Zealand pharmacist (Pharmacy Council of New Zealand)
    Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand
    Associate member of the New Zealand College of Pharmacists
    Member of the Pharmacy Guild, New Zealand

National (Australia)

  • 2024 Perpetual (IMPACT Philanthropy Application Program). $100,000
  • 2023 Telethon equipment grant. $145,000
  • 2023 NFMRI - Portfolio-2. $145,000
  • 2023 Telethon Project grants. Total, $216,000
  • 2023 NHMRC-MRFF (Stem Cell Therapies Mission). $2,233,000
  • 2022 Ian Potter Foundation. $100,000
  • 2022 Telethon equipment grant. $63,913
  • 2022 NHMRC Equipment grants. APP2015643. Total, $100,000
  • 2022 Telethon Project grants. Total, $199,982
  • 2022 Telethon Project grants. Total, $251,000
  • 2022 WA Future Health Research & Innovation Fund, WANMA. $100,000
  • 2022 Telethon Project grants. Total, $260,000
  • 2022 Telethon Project grants. Total, $199,428
  • 2021 NHMRC Idea: APP2001090. $0.64 mil
  • 2020 NHMRC-MRFF: MRF1201204, RCRDUN Initiative: Neurological Disorder Grant
  • Opportunity. $1.72 mil
  • 2020 Curtin Faculty Strategic ORS. WA Health and Artificial Intelligence Consortium. $160,000
  • 2020 NHMRC Infrastructure/Equipment Grant, ID: APP9000597. $40,000

International (EU)

  • 2020             EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. MSCA-RISE-2019. $1.5 million
  • 2020              USA Cures Within Research: Repurposing Research to Create Patient Impact in Rare Diseases. $160,000.

 

EMAIL: Hani.Al-Salami@curtin.edu.au
TEL: +61 (08) 9266 9816
ORCID
Google Scholar
Scopus
Website Biotechnology & Drug Develeopment Research Lab
Curtin Staff Profile

 

Research Focus

Dr Hani Al-Salami’s research centres on designing novel pharmaceutical nanomaterials to enhance the delivery, efficacy and safety of therapeutics, including drugs and gene-based treatments. His work integrates biotechnology, nanotechnology and pharmaceutical science to develop innovative drug delivery systems for metabolic, neurodegenerative and hearing disorders.

 

Research Team

Dr Bozica Kovacevic

Research Associate

Dr Susbin Wagle

Research Assistant

Patrick Lim

Research Assistant

Corina Ionescu

Research Assistant

Publications

ABSTRACT:

Probucol (PB) is a drug that exhibits significant hydrophobicity and substantial intra and inter individual variability in oral absorption, with a miniature bioavailability and complex three compartmental pharmacokinetic modelling due to its high lipid affinity, low stability and high octanol to water partition coefficient. Multiple attempts to formulate PB have not produced satisfactory stable matrices, drug-release profile or rheological flow properties for optimum manufacturing conditions, and with positive and none toxic biological effects. Lithocholic acid (LCA) has recently shown to optimise formulation and cell uptake of drugs. Hence, the aim of this study was to design new PB delivery system, using LCA, and examine its morphology, rheology, stability, and cellular effects. PB was formulated with LCA and sodium alginate (PB-LCA-SA) using various microencapsulation methodologies, and best formulation was investigated in vitro and ex vivo. Using our Ionic Gelation Vibrational Jet flow technology, PB-LCA-SA microcapsules showed good stability and significantly enhanced cell viability, cellular respiration, and reduced inflammation suggesting potential LCA applications in PB delivery and biological effects.

Wagle, S. R., D. Walker, B. Kovacevic, A. Gedawy, M. Mikov, S. Golocorbin-Kon, A. Mooranian, and H. Al-Salami. 2020. Micro-Nano formulation of bile-gut delivery: rheological, stability and cell survival, basal and maximum respiration studies. Scientific Reports 10 (1)
ABSTRACT:

© 2019 Mooranian et al. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterised by β-cell damage and hyperglycaemia. The lipophilic drug, probucol, has shown significant β-cell protective and potential antidiabetic effects, which were enhanced by hydrophilic bile acid incorporation using taurocholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid. However, probucol has severe cardiotoxicity and a variable absorption profile, which limit its potential applications in T2D. Accordingly, this study aimed to design multiple formulations to optimise probucol oral delivery in T2D and test their effects on probucol absorption and accumulation in the heart. Adult male mice were given a high fat diet (HFD), and a week later, injected with a single dose of alloxan to accelerate T2D development, and once diabetes confirmed, divided into three groups (six to seven mice each). The groups were gavaged a daily dose of probucol powder, probucol microcapsules, or probucol-bile acid microcapsules for three months, and euthanized; and blood, tissues, and feces collected for blood glucose and probucol concentration analyses. Probucol concentrations in plasma were similar among all the groups. Groups given probucol microcapsules and probucol-bile acid microcapsules showed significant reduction in probucol accumulation in the heart compared with the group given probucol powder (p<0.05). Probucol microencapsulation with or without bile acids reduced its accumulation in heart tissues, without changing plasma concentrations, which may be beneficial in reducing its cardiotoxicity and optimise its potential applications in T2D.

Mooranian, A., N. Zamani, R. Takechi, G. Luna, M. Mikov, S. Goločorbin-Kon, M. Elnashar, F. Arfuso, and H. Al-Salami. 2019. An in vivo pharmacological study: Variation in tissue-accumulation for the drug probucol as the result of targeted microtechnology and matrix-acrylic acid optimization and stabilization techniques. Plos One 14 (4)

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