Skip to content | Change text size
 

Professor Colin Pouton

Professor Colin Pouton is Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Biology at Monash University and is co-leader of Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action, a theme of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS).

Professor Pouton’s particular area of interest is in gene therapy and the possibility of it being used in a wide number of contexts. “Gene therapy represents the ultimate challenge to a drug delivery scientist.  Delivering a large polyanionic compound such as DNA has proved to be a huge technical challenge.  Interestingly, this objective has been achieved in nature by the evolution of viruses which exploit natural biological mechanisms along the way”.

He aims to create a synthetic system with the attributes of a virus but none of the risks and which is less immunogenic. “We need to design multifunctional molecules to facilitate incorporation of DNA or RNA into highly organised nanoparticles.  We will also need fundamental knowledge of self-assembly, and an understanding of how these nanoparticles interact with biological structures in vivo.” In this, Professor Pouton is collaborating with other Monash colleagues, including Professor David Jans, on the design of virus-like particles with applications for the delivery of RNA and DNA.

The use of nanotechnology in vaccine design is another area of research which Professor Pouton is investigating. In collaboration with Dr Paul White from MIPS, they are exploring the development of needle-free vaccine technology by using microneedle arrays for delivery of particles to the skin. “Particles have distinct advantages with regard to the efficiency of uptake of antigens by the immune system”.  They are also investigating attenuated bacteria for oral vaccination.

In conjunction with Associate Professor Chris Porter, Professor Bill Charman and Dr Ben Boyd at MIPS, Professor Pouton is researching the use of nanoemulsions as vehicles for the improved delivery of drugs with poor water solubility. They have established an international reputation for their work in this field and, through ARC linkage funding, are collaborating with the Capsugel division of Pfizer, based in France and Belgium. Their specific research is on the development of improved nanoemulsion systems to retain drugs in solution during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract.

Professor Pouton has general interests in drug absorption and drug transmission. He is exploring the delivery of macromolecular therapies, such as nucleic acids for gene therapy. In this he will benefit from the interdisciplinary collaborations in nanotechnology.

Publications

  1. Pouton C.W. (2006) Formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs for oral administration: Physicochemical and physiological issues and the lipid formulation classification system. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 29: 278-287.
  2. Martin F., Roth D.M., Jans D.A., Pouton C.W., Partridge L.J., Monk P.N. and Moseley G.W. (2005) Tetraspanins in viral infections: a fundamental role in viral biology? Journal of Virology 79, 10839-10851.
  3. Pouton C.W. and Allsopp T. (2005) Embryonic stem cell science and the therapeutic interface.  Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 57: 1891-1893.
  4. Pouton C.W. and Haynes J.M. (2005) Pharmaceutical applications of embryonic stem cells.  Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 57: 1918-1934.
  5. Pouton C.W. and Seymour L.W. (2001) Key issues in non-viral gene delivery. Adv. Drug Delivery Rev. 46: 187-203
  6. Matthews S.E., Pouton C.W. and Threadgill M.D. (2001) Formation of hybrid polymethylene-poly(oxyethylene) macrocycles Tetrahedron Lett. 42: 1355-1357
  7. Garrett S.W., Davies O.R., Milroy D.A., Wood P.J., Pouton C.W. and Threadgill M.D. (2000) Synthesis and characterisation of polyamine-poly(ethylene glycol) constructs for DNA binding and gene delivery. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 8: 1779-1797
  8. Matthews S.E., Pouton C.W. and Threadgill M.D. (2000) A biodegradable multiblock co-polymer derived from an alpha,omega-bis(methylamino)peptide and an alpha,omega-bis(oxiranylmethyl)poly(ethylene glycol). J. Controlled Release 67: 129-139
  9. Uduehi A.N., Moss S.H., Nuttall J. and Pouton C.W. (1999) Cationic lipid-mediated transfection of differentiated Caco-2 cells: A filter culture model of gene delivery to a polarized epithelium. Pharmaceut. Res. 16: 1805-1811
  10. Matthews S.E., Pouton C.W. and Threadgill M.D. (1999) Synthesis of porphyrin alpha,omega-bis(methylamino)peptide constructs. New J. Chem. 23: 1087-1096
  11. Sahm U.G. Olivier G.W.J. and Pouton C.W. (1999) Synthesis of 153N-6 analogues and structure-function analysis at murine melanocortin-1 (MC1) receptors. Peptides 20: 387-394
  12. Pouton C.W. and Seymour L.W. (1998) Key issues in non-viral gene delivery. Adv. Drug Delivery Rev. 34: 3-19
  13. Pouton C.W. (1998) Nuclear import of polypeptides, polynucleotides and supramolecular complexes. Adv. Drug Delivery Rev. 34: 51-64
  14. Pouton C.W., Lucas P., Thomas B.J., Uduehi A.N., Milroy D.A. and Moss S.H. (1998) Polycation-DNA complexes for gene delivery - a comparison of the biopharmaceutical properties of cationic polypeptides and cationic lipids. J. Controlled Release. 53: 289-299
  15. Peng P.J., Sahm U.G., Doherty R.V.M., Kinsman R.G., Moss S.H. and Pouton C.W. (1997) Binding and biological activity of C-terminally modified melanocortin peptides - a comparison between their actions at rodent MC1 and MC3 receptors. Peptides 18: 1001-1008