NatuRAPT, Natural products and food – Research & Analysis – Pharmaceutical Technology, is a consortium comprising the Laboratories of Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutical Analysis, Nutrition and Functional Food Science and Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmacy. This team of experts is active in the field of medicinal plants, natural products, food science and formulation development.
Medicinal plants & Natural Products– Prof. L. Pieters
This research group is specialized in chromatographic separation, isolation and structure elucidation of natural products.
The research of Prof. L. Pieters is focused on the isolation and identification using spectroscopic methods of biologically active natural compounds from medicinal plants resulting in scientific publications and doctoral scripts in this field. In collaboration with other research groups, more profound structure-activity relationship studies of certain product classes have already been carried out, such as saponins, dihydrobenzofuran lignans, flavonoids and neocryptolepin alkaloids.Prof. L. Pieters achieved a substantial reputation on international level, as he is a regularly invited speaker on international conferences and he was editor-in-chief of Planta Medica – Journal of Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research from january 2007 until january 2016.
Nutrition and Functional Food Science - Prof. N. Hermans
Research activities of the Nutrition and Functional Food Science group are aimed at providing a scientific evaluation for possible health promoting food ingredients.
Prof. N. Hermans is specialized in the scientific evaluation of health promoting food ingredients. The lab of Nutrition and Functional Food Science has expertise in the in vitro and in vivo research of the metabolism by the intestinal flora, absorption and antioxidative activity of food constituents and measurement of oxidative stress biomarkers in vitro and in vivo. The focus is on antioxidants and polyphenols. Furthermore, the laboratory has a long tradition in analyzing and studying the availability of minerals and trace elements from different matrices (food, drugs, biological matrices, ...).The lab has expertise in dietary intake assessment methods, allowing interpretation of the nutritional value of foods, meals, diets and eating patterns.
Pharmaceutical Analysis – Dr. K. Foubert
The University Centre for the Analysis of Pharmaceuticals and Health Products (UCAG²) of the University of Antwerp (Belgium) has a long and unique expertise for the analysis and quality control of herbal medicinal products. Drugs and herbal medicinal are analysed in a laboratory working conform to ISO17025. The focus of UCAG² is method development and validation.
Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy - Prof. Dr. F. Kiekens
Main focus of the laboratory is the field of innovative dosage forms, including formulation- and process-optimization activities. These forms include extrudates, medicinal films, micro- and nanoparticles, etc. and result in hard gelatin capsules, emulsions, suspensions, parenteral formulations,…. In addition to the physicochemical evaluation of these dosage forms, special attention is paid to their biopharmaceutical properties obtained after ophthalmic, nasal, pulmonary, oral or parenteral administration. Stability research and packaging studies complete the evaluation of the drug products. Furthermore, the more conventional dosage forms, e.g. like tablets are also evaluated.