Spiers Memorial Lecture. Breeding and building molecular spies.

To circumvent the limited spatial resolution of fluorescent protein imaging, we are developing genetically encoded tags for electron microscopy (EM).

Antisolvent crystallization of pharmaceutical excipients from aqueous solutions and the use of preferred orientation in phase identification by powder X-ray diffraction.

Crystallization of lactose from 10% (w/v) aqueous solutions was investigated with the use of polar antisolvents. Crystal growth was observed at 50-65% antisolvent content and showed a morphological transition from a polyhedral to needle-like habit with increasing antisolvent content, which coincided with a polymorphic transition from alpha lactose monohydrate (Lα·H(2)O) to beta lactose (Lß). Where dehydrating antisolvents were employed such as methanol and ethanol, evidence of Lα·H(2)O dehydration to form Lα(S) was also observed at 95% antisolvent content. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis of the crystals highlighted the preferred orientation effects exhibited by large crystals of this kind, indicating the difficulties experienced by the non-specialist when performing phase identification of lactose polymorphs. The same studies were applied to raffinose pentahydrate, trehalose dihydrate and mannitol to assess the effects of crystallization conditions on other pharmaceutical excipients.

The in-situ solid-state NMR spectroscopy investigation of alcoholic lactose suspensions.

The polymorphic forms of lactose in alcoholic suspensions have been determined by (13)C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy, employing hand-made glass inserts. Suspensions of alpha lactose monohydrate (Lalpha.H(2)O) with particle size between 2 and 200mum were prepared by 24h reflux or by storage for 28d in anhydrous ethanol without agitation. These suspensions were compared to an ethanolic sub-micron lactose suspension provided by a 3M Health Care (Loughborough). The (13)C CP-MAS NMR spectra indicated that Lalpha.H(2)O dehydrated to stable anhydrous alpha lactose polymorph (Lalpha(S)) whilst suspended in ethanol. In addition, strong ethanol (13)C resonances were observed for some samples, indicating a liquid-solid interaction between the ethanol and lactose surface. Replacement of ethanol with anhydrous methanol, n-butanol and 3-methylbutan-2-ol implied that the solvent mediated dehydration of Lalpha.H(2)O to Lalpha(S) occurs as a result of sterically controlled interactions.

The effect of particle size on the dehydration/rehydration behaviour of lactose.

Ethanolic suspensions of spray dried and micronized alpha lactose monohydrate (L(alpha)xH(2)O) with average particle size between 3 and 200 microm, have been prepared and their dehydration behaviour was investigated by (13)C CP-MASNMR spectroscopy. Sub-micron lactose suspension prepared by a novel high pressure homogenisation method has been compared with the standard ethanolic suspensions of (L(alpha).H(2)O prepared by reflux or static room temperature methods. In all cases, suspensions were shown to contain the stable anhydrous form of lactose ((L(alpha)(S)). Several approaches were employed to remove ethanol from these suspensions and the resulting dry lactose powders were then analysed by FT-IR, PXRD and SEM to evaluate the effect of drying procedure on type and distribution of lactose polymorphs and particle size. For samples with mean particle size greater than 1 microm, the stable anhydrous polymorphic form of lactose was retained on removal of the ethanol, although differences in the morphology and particle size of the crystals were apparent depending on method of suspension formation. Sub-micron (L(alpha)(S), while stable in dry conditions, has been shown to be less stable to atmospheric water vapour than (L(alpha)(S) with particle size between 3 and 200 microm.