We perform applied research to design, formulate, test and manufacture medicines.
At a glance
- 7 Research fields
- 41 Teaching, research and support professionals
- 85 Projects with industry and other partners
- 33 Publications / year
Research fields
Bioprocess technology
Production of recombinant proteins and cell products with automated and linked processes
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Formulations and devices for active chemical and biological substances
Rational development of drug formulations and medicine production
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Gastrointestinal and transdermal drug formulation and delivery
Drug formulation and delivery strategies for disease treatment in different therapeutic indications
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Gene and cell therapy systems
Vectors for gene therapy, viral particles, loaded extracellular vesicles, and cellular disease models
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Oral formulations of chemical drugs
Computational and analytical tools to optimise oral drug delivery
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Precision pharmaceuticals
Determining optimal dosage regiments based on pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of drugs
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Production processes and techniques
Pharmaceutical process development, production planning and project management
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Pilot-scale facilities
Process Technology Centre - Overview
Scaling up processes from lab to pilot-scale
Bioprocess technology plant
Developing and optimising processes to produce enzymes, antibodies, and gene therapies
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Cleanroom for sterile pharmaceutical production
Reproducing the entire process chain for sterile dosage forms at pilot scale
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Pharmaceutical process technology plant
Safe production of solid pharmaceutical dosage forms using innovative techniques and state-of-the-art equipment
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
News and stories
News
Research Highlights brochure 2024 is now available online and in print
We are proud to present a selection of our research successes from the past year. These projects showcase how our school supports local, national and international communities, is a partner of choice for industry, advances treatment options for patients, and pushes technological frontiers – all while providing outstanding educational opportunities for our students.
- Date
- 30.4.2025
- Institute
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology, Institute for Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute for Medical Engineering and Medical Informatics
Story
Biologics
A new generation of medicines that require new solutions.
- Date
- 30.4.2025
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Story
Intelligent drug formulation
Martin Kuentz and his students are predicting solubility and formulation composition to reduce animal testing.
- Date
- 30.4.2025
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Story
Precision pharmaceuticals
Predicting the right doses of the right drugs at the right times
- Date
- 30.4.2025
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Projects
3D printing of paediatric medicines
Printing of commonly used medicines at custom doses in hospital and community pharmacies
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
- Research field
- Gastrointestinal and transdermal drug formulation and delivery
Targeted delivery of enzyme supplements
Developing drug formulations for the rapid enteric delivery and release of Brush Border Enzyme Supplementation Technology (BBEST)
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
- Research field
- Gastrointestinal and transdermal drug formulation and delivery
InPharma
Towards eliminating the use of animals from the development of new oral drug formulations
- Institute
- Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
- Research field
- Oral formulations of chemical drugs
Team
Prof. Dr. Oliver Germershaus
Head of Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
- Phone
- +41 61 228 55 26
Prof. Dr. Georgios Imanidis
Team leader Gastrointestinal and transdermal drug formulation and delivery
- Phone
- +41 61 228 56 36
Prof. Dr. Martin Kuentz
Team leader Oral formulations of chemical drugs
- Phone
- +41 61 228 56 42
- martin.kuentz@fhnw.ch
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Siler
Team leader Gene and Cell Therapeutic Systems
- Phone
- +41 61 228 63 26
- ulrich.siler@fhnw.ch
Prof. Thomas Vetter
Team leader Pharmaceutical Process Engineering
- Phone
- +41 61 228 56 14
- thomas.vetter@fhnw.ch
Prof. Dr. Thomas Villiger
Team leader Bioprocess Technology
- Phone
- +41 61 228 52 46
- thomas.villiger@fhnw.ch
About the institute
At the Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology, we conduct research into new technologies and methods for innovative pharmaceutical products of the future.
The institute’s expertise ranges from the biotechnological production of medicines to pharmaceutical formulation, packaging and process development, the development of drug delivery and gene transfer systems, and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medicinal products.
Our work is research-based, scientifically robust, industry-facing, and application-oriented. We collaborate with industry partners in teaching and research, focusing on the stringent quality requirements for drug development and production, the needs of society and cost efficiency.
Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
School of Life Sciences
Institute for Pharma Technology and Biotechnology
Hofackerstrasse 30
CH - 4132 Muttenz