The College of Pharmacy at Gulf Medical University is pleased to announce the successful thesis defense of Fathima Sheik Kather, a Master of Science in Drug Discovery and Development (MDD) student, held on November 21st, 2025. Her research, titled “Injectable In-Situ Thermoreversible Gel Depot System of Lidocaine Nanoemulsion for Prolonged Anesthetic Activity in Dental and Operative Procedures,” represents a significant advancement in the field of local anesthetic drug delivery.
A key highlight of this achievement is that Fathima’s work has already been published in the prestigious Q1 journal Pharmaceutics, underscoring the scientific merit, rigor, and global relevance of her findings.
The thesis defense drew strong academic interest, particularly with the distinguished participation of Prof. Surajit Dey, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Roseman University of Health Sciences, Nevada, USA. His presence provided a valuable international perspective and added notable prestige to the examination. Dr. Moawia Altabakha, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at Ajman University, also served as an external examiner.
Under the supervision of Prof. Shery Jacob (Main Supervisor), together with Prof. Sai H. S. Boddu and Dr. Shakta Mani Satyam (Co-Supervisors), Fathima developed a novel lidocaine nanoemulgel designed to overcome the well-known limitation of short anesthetic duration associated with conventional lidocaine injections. Her optimized nanoemulsion–poloxamer gel system demonstrated excellent stability, effective sol-to-gel transition at physiological temperature, extended in vitro drug release, and significantly prolonged in vivo analgesic action—up to 150 minutes, compared to 90 minutes with standard lidocaine.
During the defense, Fathima delivered a clear, confident, and scientifically robust presentation. The examiners commended her comprehensive approach, from formulation development to pharmacological evaluation, and highlighted the strong translational potential of her findings. Prof. Dey emphasized the innovation and clinical relevance of the work, noting its alignment with global efforts to improve patient-friendly anesthetic delivery systems.
Fathima’s accomplishment not only reflects her dedication and scientific capability but also reinforces the MDD program’s commitment to producing impactful research recognized at the international level.
The College of Pharmacy extends its heartfelt congratulations to Fathima Sheik Kather on her successful defense and her publication in a leading Q1 journal, wishing her continued success in her future scientific pursuits.
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
