Faculty

Assoc. Prof. Špela Zupančič, M. Pharm., Ph.D

Organisation unit:	Department of Pharmaceutical Technology
Job title:	University Teacher

CONTACT INFORMATION
Business phone:	+386 1 4769 521
E-mail:	is.jl-inu.aff@cicnapuz.aleps
Room:	P25
Office hours:	arranged via e-mail

Teaching work
	Uniform master’s study programme Pharmacy • Hospital Pharmacy • Instrumental Pharmaceutical Analysis • Physical Pharmacy • Pharmaceutical Technology for Erasmus students University study programme Cosmetology • Nanotechnology in Cosmetology • Cosmetic Products I • Packaging and Stability Master’s study programme Industrial Pharmacy • Pharmaceutical packaging • Microbiological Quality of Pharmaceutical Products • Pharmaceutical Technology Interdisciplinary doctoral programme in Biomedicine • Module 3 Postgraduate European Radiopharmaceutical hemistry/Radiopharmacy Course- Module 1: Pharmacy (PERC) She is also the supervisor of graduate students, master's students, and doctoral students. If you are interested in research work with Špela Zupančič, you can write to her mail.
Research work
	Field of research: Pharmaceutical nanotechnology • Development of nanofibers with active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and probiotics: development of monolithic and core-shell nanofibers by electrospinning, development of inorganic nanofibers. • Development of nanoparticles and vesicles: the development of different nanodelivery systems, such as solid lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, ethosomes, transfers and DQAsomes, for transdermal delivery of API or targeted delivery. • Evaluation of nanodelivery systems: evaluation of morphology of nanodelivery systems (scanning electron microscopy), release of API, solid-state characterization of API and excipients (differential dynamic calorimetry) and interactions between them (Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy), the cultivation of probiotics, evaluation of the viability of probiotics after their incorporation and during storage, and the release of probiotics from the delivery system.
Expert work
	Membership: Slovenian pharmaceutical society, Controlled Release Society Reviewer in different international journals: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Acta Chimica Slovenica, Acta Pharmaceutica , Catalysts, Drug Delivery and Translational Research, Drug development and Industrial Pharmacy, European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, Farmacevtski vestnik, Fibers, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, Materials & Design, Molecules, Pharmaceutics, Polymer Bulletin, Scientific reports, Trends in Food Science & Technology

Assist. prof. Špela Zupančič, PhD graduated from high school in Kočevje and enrolled in the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Ljubljana (UL FFA) in 2008. In the 5th year she participated in the Erasmus exchange programme at the School of Pharmacy, University College London, UK (marec–avgust 2013) and graduated in September 2013 under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petra Kocbek and Dr. Satyanarayana Somavarapu. In the same year, she entered postgraduate study of Biomedicine (supervision of prof. Dr. Julijana Kristl) and was employed by UL FFA as a young researcher. She conducted most of her research during her doctoral studies at UL FFA and part at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA under the supervision of distinguished prof. Dr. Alexander L. Yarin (March-October 2015). In 2017, she received her PhD. In 2013 and 2016, she was habilitated into an assistant for pharmaceutical nanotechnology and in 2019, she was promoted to Assistant Professor. She is currently employed as an assistant with doctorate.

Awards:
2023 – Rector’s Award – 3rd place for innovation within University of Ljubljana;
2022 – Selected for the 71st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting;
2021 – Certificate of recognition for young university teachers and associates;
2021 – Jozef Stefan Golden Emblem awards for outstanding contributions made to science in Doctoral theses;
2018 – Krka Grand Prizes for Research;
2018 and 2020 - a member of the group whose research was selected among the most prominent achievements in 2018 and 2020 in the ARRS project Excellent in science;
2017 – the national award For Women in Science from L'Oréal and Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO; ·
2016 – 3rd place at Slovenian Science Slam; ·
2014 – Dean award for outstanding research achievements at UL-Faculty of Pharmacy and Krka Prize for Special Achievements in Research;
2013 – Faculty award for average grade above 8.75;

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Changed: 12. May 2016