Dr. Andreea-Teodora IACOB | Biomedical Applications of polymeric materials | Best Researcher Award
Dr. Andreea-Teodora Iacob is a dedicated Lecturer PhD and Specialist Pharmacist at the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași, Romania. She has established a remarkable profile in the fields of pharmaceutical chemistry, drug design, and advanced polymeric systems for biomedical applications. With an impressive academic and professional trajectory, Dr. Iacob has contributed extensively to multidisciplinary research on heterocyclic compounds, nanostructured drug delivery systems, and wound healing materials. She holds multiple specialist certifications in pharmaceutical laboratory, clinical pharmacy, and the pharmaceutical-cosmetic industry. She has co-authored over 47 ISI-indexed publications, edited scientific volumes, and has been awarded several national and international accolades for her scientific contributions. Passionate about research, teaching, and collaboration, Dr. Iacob actively mentors students and serves as an editor and reviewer for reputed journals, while also engaging in national and international collaborative projects across pharmaceutical sciences.
Profile
🎓 Education
Dr. Iacob’s academic formation is grounded in pharmaceutical sciences, with a progressive specialization in both academic and clinical domains. She completed her Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Chemistry with research focusing on innovative biomaterials for wound management. In 2018, she earned certification as a Specialist Pharmacist in Pharmaceutical Laboratory from “Saint Spiridon” Clinical Hospital, Iași. In 2021, she added a second specialty in Clinical Pharmacy, and in 2025, she will complete her third specialty in Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industry. She enriched her academic background with a postdoctoral research fellowship (2019–2021) at the Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science in Bucharest, developing novel chitosan/PEO-based films for wound healing. Her academic journey is further enhanced by intensive involvement in national doctoral and postdoctoral training projects. Her education is marked by a continuous commitment to learning, research innovation, and application of chemistry and pharmacology for therapeutic benefit, laying the foundation for her dynamic research and teaching career.
🧪 Experience
Dr. Andreea-Teodora Iacob has over a decade of rich academic and clinical experience. Since February 2020, she serves as a Lecturer PhD in Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Chemistry at UMF Iași, where she contributes to both undergraduate and postgraduate education. She began her clinical specialization as a pharmacist in 2018 and evolved through additional specializations in clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical industries. From August 2019 to January 2021, she pursued postdoctoral research in chemical engineering, focusing on polymeric wound dressings. Her expertise spans drug synthesis, physicochemical characterization, nanotechnology, and biomedical formulations. Dr. Iacob has also participated in several European-funded training programs aimed at developing applied research and entrepreneurship skills. Her work encompasses laboratory management, student supervision, and interdisciplinary research. Additionally, she contributes to curriculum development and academic publishing, while maintaining active collaborations with national and international institutions. Her balanced experience in teaching, clinical practice, and research distinguishes her as a versatile pharmaceutical professional.
🏅 Awards and Honors
Dr. Iacob has received wide recognition for her innovative research. She won the Bronze and Silver Medals at EuroINVENT 2025 in Iași, acknowledging her contributions to wound healing and pharmaceutical formulations. She was among the five winners of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talents Romania Program 2023, a prestigious award that supports early-career female researchers. Her papers have earned Best Paper Awards at multiple International Scientific Conferences, including “Applications of Chemistry in Nanosciences and Biomaterials Engineering.” With an H-index of 13 (WOS) and 16 (Google Scholar), her work has been cited over 1000 times, highlighting her influence in the scientific community. She also serves as a Guest Editor for Polymers and Pharmaceutics, and as a substitute member of the COST EU Action CA19140, promoting advanced ion technologies. These honors showcase her dedication to impactful research, leadership in academia, and commitment to promoting women in science.
🔬 Research Focus
Dr. Iacob’s research bridges pharmaceutical chemistry, nanotechnology, and regenerative medicine. Her expertise centers on the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds (azetidin-2-ones, thiazolidine-4-ones, azomethines, hydrazones) with therapeutic potential, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities. She is also deeply involved in the design and evaluation of polymeric biomaterials such as hydrogels, sponges, and films, especially chitosan-based systems, for skin and wound therapy. She has pioneered work on electrospun nanofibers and niosomes, exploring their structural, functional, and biological characteristics for use in chronic wound healing. Her work integrates advanced synthesis methods, spectral analysis (IR, NMR, HRMS), and in vitro biological evaluation. She contributes to eight national and two international research projects and collaborates with leading institutions across Europe. Her multidisciplinary research reflects a commitment to translational science, bridging fundamental chemistry with practical medical applications, especially in skin regeneration, controlled drug delivery, and therapeutic polymer design.