Spotlight On Dr Smita Salunke

Dr Smita Salunke

UCL Health of the Public Early Careers Network interim Co-Chair
Senior Research Fellow  (UCL School of Pharmacy)

What is your role and what does it involve?

My primary role as a Chief Scientific Officer of EuPFI (European Paediatric Formulation Initiative, an international industry-academic consortium led by UCL) is providing strategic direction and facilitating the collaboration between the different players in the landscape of paediatric medicines. I work with a network of associates and experts from academia, healthcare, regulatory and pharmaceutical companies to promote and facilitate the preparation of better and safe medicines for children. I am a Senior Research Fellow at the UCL School of Pharmacy, and my collaborative and multidisciplinary research is focused on one overarching theme of global and futuristic formulations for future generations.

I was the interim Co-Chair of UCL Health of the Public’s Early Careers Network (HotP ECN) until June 2023 and am deputy co-ordinator of the School of Pharmacy Early Career Research Network (SOP ECRN). The ECNs support early career researchers with practical career advice and information about training, funding and job opportunities. Through regular events, we provide opportunities for researchers to develop skills, meet peers, share ideas and experiences, and initiate collaborations. My role is to oversee the development of a programme of activities, share chairing of ECN meetings, and lead in the organisation of ECN events. As an interim co-chair of HotP ECN, I sat on university-wide groups and committees, including the Health of the Public Delivery Group and the Research Staff Consultative Committee. I am a member of the SOP Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and also sit on the Athena Swan Self-assessment Team (AS SAT).

How are you improving the health of the public? 

My work is focused on improving the health outcomes for our children and young people in low- or middle-income settings. Across disease areas, the development of medicines for children lags unacceptably behind that for adults by nearly a decade. My research involves studying the excipients (inactive ingredients in our medicines) activity in children, administration devices and formulating better medicines for children in low-resource settings to accelerate the development of much needed paediatric medicines for diseases with substantial public health burdens. As part of my PhD, I have established a freely accessible paediatric medicine ingredients database to help accelerate safe drug development and provide information for health professionals and parents. Currently more than 3000 users from 44 countries; 6 continents are registered and using the database. It is recognised as a research impact case study in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

The understanding of the acceptability of globally designed child-appropriate formulations and correct use of administration devices is still poor in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs). There is a need to integrate the importance of acceptability with appropriate administration practice in health policies in LMICs. I am leading research projects in collaboration with multiple overseas universities (Indian, Thailand, Chinese, and Japanese), as well as industry research entities to build up the evidence base on this topic and educate healthcare professionals and policy decision-makers in LMICs that the acceptability of medicines is equally important to the access of medicines for public health.  

What do you find most interesting or enjoyable about your work?

Making a difference. One of the most stimulating and rewarding aspects of my work is the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of children. Working with a variety of stakeholders, including other health professionals, community members, and policymakers, not only provides me with the opportunities to learn from others, and share expertise but also the motivation to develop creative solutions to complex health challenges. Public health is a rapidly evolving field, with new research, technologies, and approaches emerging all the time. I am always striving to stay up to date on the latest trends, best practices, and innovations. I enjoy ongoing learning and giving back the learnings to society through my research work to promote healthier, happier lives for generations to come. Moreover, working to improve the health of children can have far-reaching social impacts, including reducing healthcare costs, improving educational outcomes, and promoting economic growth. By contributing to these broader social goals, I feel a sense of purpose and fulfilment in my work

How have cross-disciplinary collaborations shaped your research?

My research and enterprise/external engagement cross-pollinate each other in numerous ways. What excites me is engaging researchers globally and promoting locally-led research in low-middle-income countries for expediting the development of global paediatric formulations. I have established the ‘Paediatric Medicines and Healthcare Initiative’ - a non-profit organisation in India, to stimulate paediatric formulations research and policies locally. It includes Indian organisations from academia, industry and healthcare working together to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the lack of age-appropriate formulations and administration devices for children, including policy changes, community-based interventions, and educational campaigns. It also provides a platform for underrepresented early career researchers (ECRs) to enhance not only their knowledge but also transferable skills and get engaged in international projects. My cross-disciplinary collaborations have helped integrate multiple perspectives from various fields, such as psychology, public education, public policy, and pharmacoeconomics. It has provided a more holistic understanding of the factors that influence child health and well-being, and more effective interventions that address the complex interplay between biological, social, and environmental determinants.

What advice would you offer to others interested in developing cross-disciplinary research?

Developing cross-disciplinary work requires a combination of openness, relationship-building, effective communication, mutual respect, diversity celebration, and continuous evaluation and learning. Be open-minded and receptive to ideas that may be outside of your usual area of expertise and embrace new perspectives. Seek out opportunities to network, collaborate, and share ideas with others in your field and beyond. Avoid falling into a “territorial” mindset and instead strive to create an environment of collaboration and cooperation. Diversity is a strength in cross-disciplinary work. Celebrate the different backgrounds, perspectives, and approaches that each team member brings to the table.

What’s next on the research horizon for you?

Looking forward, I have two major goals. First, I wish to continue to investigate the best methods for improving the testing capabilities of excipients neurotoxic effects using a combination of in-vitro and in-vivo technologies. Second, I want to stay anchored in what motivated me in the first place: to become an excellent researcher and entrepreneur. I aspire to one day establish a centre of excellence for excipients for paediatrics, bringing together cutting-edge research to provide a clinically relevant and predictive data solution to assessing excipients effects, thereby making a real difference for children and their families. I look forward to meeting these new challenges in the years ahead.

If you could make one change in the world today, what would it be?

One change that could have a significant impact on the world today is to address the issue of global poverty. By 2030, 167 million children will live in extreme poverty if the world doesn’t take action to improve health and education.  Affordable, accessible, basic health care is a critical solution to poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered critical vulnerabilities in health systems across high-, middle-, and low-income countries., regardless of income levels. Inadequate access to health systems is a health threat, with at least half the global population lacking access to essential healthcare services. Affordable services should be available when and where families need them. Meeting this commitment will only be achievable if every member of society is working together. So, if I could make one change in the world today, I would stimulate collaboration across government, civil society, and the private sector to implement country-specific healthcare measures to reduce health disparities and improve health system responsiveness in order to ensure that public health challenges are detected and addressed early before they become emergencies. Improving health systems would address global poverty and thus improve the lives of millions of people around the world and create a more just and equitable global society.