糖心原创

Contact

• workRoom D207a Biodiscovery Institute (CBSe)
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• M.Zelzer@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

Mischa Zelzer is an Associate Professor in the School of Pharmacy at the 糖心原创, a position he has held since 2020, reflecting a shift in his research towards computational and data-driven methods that he formalised with an MRes in Bioinformatics completed in 2022. He joined Nottingham's School of Pharmacy as Assistant Professor in 2013, following a Marie Curie Fellowship at Eindhoven University of Technology and postdoctoral positions at the University of Strathclyde and Newcastle University. He completed his PhD in Material and Surface Science at the 糖心原创 in 2009, and trained as a chemist at the University of Technology Graz.

As Co-Investigator on two EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training - in Transformative Pharmaceutical Technologies (2019) and Accelerated Medicines Design & Development (2024) - Mischa has shaped the research agenda and led the computational training agenda for successive PhD cohorts, embedding data science and predictive modelling skills within pharmaceutical doctoral training. This work reflects a broader strategic effort to build a predictive science research agenda within the School of Pharmacy, bringing together machine learning alongside the School's established experimental strengths.

Mischa has secured over 拢16M in external research funding. His contributions to the field have been recognised with several awards, including the UK Surface Analysis Forum (UKSAF) Vickerman Prize (inaugural recipient, 2013), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Inspirational Committee Award (2026), and the 糖心原创's Lord Dearing Team Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (2022). He has published over 45 research articles (h-index 20) and contributes to the wider research community as Secretary of the RSC Biomaterials Chemistry Special Interest Group, UK representative of the IUVSTA Biointerfaces Division, and a member of the British Vacuum Council.

Expertise Summary

Computational & Data Science

• Machine learning and predictive modelling for pharmaceutical formulation
• Programming in Python and R
• Multivariate data analysis (PCA, MFA, PLS)
• Feature engineering and clustering analysis
• Active learning (Bayesian optimisation)
• Kinetic Monte Carlo modelling for polymerisation kinetics

Materials & Surface Science

• Supramolecular and self-assembled materials
• Surface modification and functionalisation
• Surface analysis (XPS, ToF-SIMS, water contact angle)
• Stimuli-responsive materials (enzyme- and light-responsive)
• Peptide-based materials and polypeptide synthesis
• N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerisation

Pharmaceutical & Drug Delivery Applications

• Nanomedicines and lipid-based formulations
• Hydrophilic matrices for oral formulations (tablets)
• Microneedle formulation and design
• Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics
• Drug encapsulation and release
• Nano- and microparticle characterisation

Analytical & Characterisation Techniques

• Spectroscopy (UV-Vis, fluorescence, IR, CD)
• Mass spectrometry (LC-MS, MALDI, ToF-SIMS)
• Rheology
• Particle characterisation (DLS, zeta potential)
• Material characterisation (AFM, SEM, TEM, GPC/SEC, NMR, HPLC)

Teaching Summary

Module Convener Roles

• Lead for Computational Training, Postgraduate CDT Training Programme (since 2025)
• Endocrine and Metabolism Module, MSci in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Year 1 - module you designed (since 2017)

Teaching Activities

Postgraduate CDT Training Programme

• Project on practical applications of machine learning (since 2025)
• SQLite database construction workshop (since 2025)
• Collaborative coding using Git workshop (since 2025)
• Linear regression and multivariate analysis (since 2025)
• Report writing, postgraduate training module for PhD students (since 2016)

MPharm - Fundamental Skills for Pharmacists module, Year 1

• Data analysis workshop (since 2025)
• Literature resources workshop (since 2023)

MPharm - Digestive System module, Year 1

• Physicochemical calculations workshop (since 2023)

MPharm - Dermatology module, Year 1

• Drug delivery to the skin and topical formulations (since 2025)
• Non-sterile production of creams and ointments (since 2025)

MSci in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Endocrine and Metabolism module, Year 1

• Carbohydrate chemistry (since 2023)
• Thermodynamics and regulation of metabolism (since 2017)
• Glucose detection lab practical (since 2017)

Research Summary

My research sits at the intersection of predictive and experimental material science. I apply data science approaches to understand and predict how material properties affect their performance.

The overarching goal of my work is to reduce the time and experimental burden of developing new medicines by building explainable predictive models that provide actionable insights to experimentalists. To achieve this, our activities span computational modelling, model validation, material fabrication, material characterisation and material testing.

Areas of interest include:

• Data harmonisation and standardisation for predictive pharmaceutical sciences
• Developing machine learning workflows to accelerate the development of drug formulations
• Applying data-driven approaches to understand structure-property-performance relationships in pharmaceutical materials
• Kinetics modelling for polymerisations and for drug release

We employ these concepts in several pharmaceutical areas, including:

• Nanomedicines
• Lipid-based formulations
• Hydrophilic matrices for oral formulations (tablets)
• Lymphatic transport
• Microneedles
• N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerisations
• Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics

The computational work is complemented by analytical and characterisation activities including:

• Spectroscopic techniques (UV, fluorescence, IR, CD)
• Rheology
• Mass spectrometry (LC-MS, MALDI, ToF-SIMS)
• Particle characterisation (DLS, zeta potential)
• Surface analysis (XPS, ToF-SIMS)

Selected Publications

• HAJAR ALGHAMDI, SUNIL RAJPUT, NOAH A. RUSSELL, SHAILESH N. MISTRY, CHARLES A. LAUGHTON, GIUSEPPE MANTOVANI, PAVEL GERSHKOVICH, KEITH SPRIGGS and MISCHA ZELZER, 2026. Materials Advances.
• DANIEL YANES, VASILIKI PARASKEVOPOULOU, HEATHER MEAD, JAMES MANN, MAGNUS R脰DING, MARYAM PARHIZKAR, CAMERON ALEXANDER, JAMIE TWYCROSS and MISCHA ZELZER, 2025. A machine learning workflow to accelerate the design of in vitro release tests from liposomes Digital Discovery. 4(10), 2983-2993
• DANIEL YANES, HEATHER MEAD, JAMES MANN, MAGNUS R脰DING, VASILIKI PARASKEVOPOULOU, CAMERON ALEXANDER, MARYAM PARHIZKAR, JAMIE TWYCROSS and MISCHA ZELZER, 2025. International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X. 10, 100393
• SCHINDL, A., HAGEN, M. L., COOLEY, I., JAGER, C. M., WARDEN, A. C., ZELZER, M., ALLERS, T. and CROFT, A. K., 2024. Rsc Sustainability. 2(9), 2559-2580

• View all publications

Past Research

My earlier research focused on the design, analysis and application of functional biointerfaces, with the overarching goal of improving how cells interact with artificial materials to enhance biomaterial and biomedical device performance and drug delivery.

Areas of interest included:

• Surface-mediated self-assembly and its influence on the physicochemical bulk properties of supramolecular materials
• Stimuli-responsive materials, including enzyme-responsive and light-responsive systems for on-demand biological interaction
• Peptide-based materials and polypeptide synthesis, including enzyme-responsive surfaces and bulk hydrogels
• Cell-material interactions in the context of stem cell fate and immune response

We employed these concepts in several biomaterial contexts, including:

• Hydrogel-based drug delivery and protein stabilisation systems
• Supramolecular gels and nucleoside-based gelators
• Peptide-functionalised surfaces
• Particle and microparticle-based cell delivery systems

This work was underpinned by a variety of experimental activities, including:

• Surface characterisation (XPS, AFM, QCM, TEM, SEM, ToF-SIMS, including cryo-analysis of biomaterials and cells)
• Gradting-from and grafting-to approaches for preparing peptide modified surfaces
• N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) copolymerisations and copolymerisation kinetics
• Polymer characterisation (GPC, HPLC, NMR, IR)
• Cell assays to study cell-material interactions

• HAJAR ALGHAMDI, SUNIL RAJPUT, NOAH A. RUSSELL, SHAILESH N. MISTRY, CHARLES A. LAUGHTON, GIUSEPPE MANTOVANI, PAVEL GERSHKOVICH, KEITH SPRIGGS and MISCHA ZELZER, 2026. Materials Advances.
• FIONA SMITH, BENJAMIN FIEDLER, KHALED ELKASSAS, RUSLAN MOHAMED, KARMEN CHEUNG, MISCHA ZELZER, ABINA CREAN, FAZ CHOWDHURY, JOEL SEGAL, FRANKIE RAWSON and MARIA MARLOW, 2026. Molecular Pharmaceutics. 23(2), 757-767
• DANIEL YANES, HEATHER MEAD, JAMES MANN, MAGNUS R脰DING, VASILIKI PARASKEVOPOULOU, CAMERON ALEXANDER, MARYAM PARHIZKAR, JAMIE TWYCROSS and MISCHA ZELZER, 2025. International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X. 10, 100393
• DANIEL YANES, VASILIKI PARASKEVOPOULOU, HEATHER MEAD, JAMES MANN, MAGNUS R脰DING, MARYAM PARHIZKAR, CAMERON ALEXANDER, JAMIE TWYCROSS and MISCHA ZELZER, 2025. A machine learning workflow to accelerate the design of in vitro release tests from liposomes Digital Discovery. 4(10), 2983-2993
• SCHINDL, A., HAGEN, M. L., COOLEY, I., JAGER, C. M., WARDEN, A. C., ZELZER, M., ALLERS, T. and CROFT, A. K., 2024. Rsc Sustainability. 2(9), 2559-2580
• CHLOE L. STEWART, ANDREW L. HOOK, MISCHA ZELZER, MARIA MARLOW and ANNA M. PICCININI, 2024. Cell Biochemistry and Function. 42(5),
• CHLOE L. STEWART, ANDREW L. HOOK, MISCHA ZELZER, MARIA MARLOW and ANNA M. PICCININI, 2024. Frontiers in Immunology. 15,
• TAYLOR, M., SIMOES, F., SMITH, J., GENAPATHY, S., CANNING, A., LLEDOS, M., CHAN, W.C., DENNING, C., SCURR, D.J., STEVEN, R.T., SPENCER, S.J., SHARD, A.G., ALEXANDER, M.R. and ZELZER, M., 2022. Surface and Interface Analysis. 54(4), 417-432
• SURIKUTCHI, BHANU TEJA, OBENZA-OTERO, REBECA, RUSSO, EMANUELE, ZELZER, MISCHA, GOLAN CANCELA, IRENE, A. COSTOYA, JOSE, CRECENTE CAMPO, JOSE, JOSE ALONSO, MARIA and MARLOW, MARIA, 2022. Development of a nanocapsule-loaded hydrogel for drug delivery for intraperitoneal administration INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS. 622,
• HILARY J. ANDERSON, JUGAL KISHORE SAHOO, JULIA WELLS, SEBASTIAAN VAN NUFFEL, HALA S. DHOWRE, RICHARD O.C. OREFFO, MISCHA ZELZER, REIN V. ULIJN and MATTHEW J. DALBY, 2022. Scientific Reports. 12,
• MARC BRUGGEMAN, MISCHA ZELZER, HANSHAN DONG and ARTEMIS STAMBOULIS, 2022. Surface and Interface Analysis. 54, 986-1007
• YANG, BIN, LLEDOS, MARINA, AKHTAR, RIAZ, CICCONE, GIUSEPPE, JIANG, LONG, RUSSO, EMANUELE, RAJPUT, SUNIL, JIN, CHUNYU, ANGELEREOU, MARIA GALINI FAIDRA, ARNOLD, THOMAS, RAWLE, JONATHAN, VASSALLI, MASSIMO, MARLOW, MARIA, ADAMS, DAVE J. and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2021. CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 12(42), 14260-14269
• RMAIDI, ASSIA, ZELZER, MISCHA, SINDJI, LAURENCE, DIMA, RAPHA脣L, BOURY, FRANK, DELORME, NICOLAS and MONTERO-MENEI, CLAUDIA N., 2021. Materials Science and Engineering C. 121,
• ANGELEROU, MARIA GALINI FAIDRA, MARKUS, ROBERT, PARASKEVOPOULOU, VASILIKI, FORALOSSO, RUGERRO, CLARKE, PHILIP, ALVAREZ, CLARA V., CHENLO, MIGUEL, JOHNSON, LITTY, RUTLAND, CATRIN, ALLEN, STEPHANIE, BRASNETT, CHRISTOPHER, SEDDON, ANNELA, ZELZER, MISCHA and MARLOW, MARIA, 2020. JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE. 317, 118-129
• GABRIELA MELO RODRIGUEZ, JAMES BOWEN, MISCHA ZELZER and ARTEMIS STAMBOULIS, 2020. RSC Advances. 10, 17642-17652
• UGUR, DENIZ, SOTTILE, VIRGINIE, MONTERO-MENEI, CLAUDIA N., BOURY, FRANK and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2020. Biointerphases. 15(4), 041008
• JOHNSON, LITTY, ANGELEROU, MARIA GALINI FAIDRA, SURIKUTCHI, BHANU TEJA, ALLEN, STEPHANIE, ZELZER, MISCHA and MARLOW, MARIA, 2019. MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS. 16(1), 462-467
• YANG, BIN, ADAMS, DAVE J, MARLOW, MARIA and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2018. Surface-Mediated Supramolecular Self-assembly of Protein, Peptide and Nucleoside Derivatives: From Surface Design to Underlying Mechanism and Tailored Functions. Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.
• ANGELEROU, MARIA G. F., FREDERIX, PIM W. J. M., WALLACE, MATTHEW, YANG, BIN, RODGER, ALISON, ADAMS, DAVE J., MARLOW, MARIA and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2018. LANGMUIR. 34(23), 6912-6921
• ANGELEROU, MARIA GALINI FAIDRA, YANG, BIN, ARNOLD, THOMAS, RAWLE, JONATHAN, MARLOW, MARIA and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2018. SOFT MATTER. 14(48), 9851-9855
• MICHAEL TAYLOR, DAVID SCURR, MATTHIAS LUTOLF, LEE BUTTERY, MISCHA ZELZER and MORGAN ALEXANDER, 2016. Biointerphases. 11(02A301),
• VAN NUFFEL, SEBASTIAAN, PARMENTER, CHRISTOPHER, SCURR, DAVID J., RUSSELL, NOAH A. and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2016. ANALYST. 141(1), 90-95
• ANGELEROU, MARIA G.F., SABRI, AKMAL, CREASY, RHIANNON, ANGELEROU, POLYXENI, MARLOW, MARIA and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2016. CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 52(23), 4298-4300
• SAHOO, JUGAL K., SIRIMUTHU, NARAYANA M. S., CANNING, ANNE, ZELZER, MISCHA, GRAHAM, DUNCAN and ULIJN, REIN, 2016. CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 52(25), 4698-4701
• CANNING, ANNE, PASQUAZI, ARIANNA, FIJTEN, MARTIN, RAJPUT, SUNIL, BUTTERY, LEE, AYLOTT, JONATHAN W. and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2016. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY.
• ROBERTS, JEMMA N., SAHOO, JUGAL K., MCNAMARA, LAURA E., BURGESS, KARL V., YANG, JINGLI, ALAKPA, ENATERI V., ANDERSON, HILARY J., HAY, JAKE, TURNER, LESLEY-ANNE, YARWOOD, STEPHEN J., ZELZER, MISCHA, OREFFO, RICHARD O. C., ULIJN, REIN V. and DALBY, MATTHEW J., 2016. ACS Nano.
• ROSA CATANIA, DAVID ONION, EMANUELE RUSSO, MISCHA ZELZER, GIUSEPPE MANTOVANI, ALAN HUETT and SNOW STOLNIK, 2016. RSC Advances. 12, 16561-16569
• TAYLOR, MICHAEL, SCURR, DAVID, LUTOLF, MATTHIAS, BUTTERY, LEE, ZELZER, MISCHA and ALEXANDER, MORGAN, 2015. Biointerphases. 11(2), 02A301
• DHOWRE, HALA S., RAJPUT, SUNIL, RUSSELL, NOAH A. and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2015. NANOMEDICINE. 10(5), 849-871
• PIGGOTT, MATTHEW and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2014. Interface and surface analysis for pharmaceutical applications: Challenges and recent advances CHIMICA OGGI-CHEMISTRY TODAY. 32(5), 53-59
• NALLURI, SIVA KRISHNA MOHAN, SHIVAROVA, NADEZHDA, KANIBOLOTSKY, ALEXANDER L., ZELZER, MISCHA, GUPTA, SWATI, FREDERIX, PIM W. J. M., SKABARA, PETER J., GLESKOVA, HELENA and ULIJN, REIN V., 2014. LANGMUIR. 30(41), 12429-12437
• ZELZER, MISCHA and HEISE, ANDREAS, 2014. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY. 52(9), 1228-1236
• JAVID, NADEEM, ROY, SANGITA, ZELZER, MISCHA, YANG, ZHIMOU, SEFCIK, JAN and ULIJN, REIN V., 2013. BIOMACROMOLECULES. 14(12), 4368-4376
• ZELZER, MISCHA and HEISE, ANDREAS, 2013. POLYMER CHEMISTRY. 4(13), 3896-3904
• ZELZER, MISCHA, TODD, SIMON J., HIRST, ANDREW R., MCDONALD, TOM O. and ULIJN, REIN V., 2013. BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE. 1(1), 11-39
• ZELZER, MISCHA, MCNAMARA, LAURA E., SCURR, DAVID J., ALEXANDER, MORGAN R., DALBY, MATTHEW J. and ULIJN, REIN V., 2012. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. 22(24), 12229-12237
• ZELZER, MISCHA, SCURR, DAVID J., ALEXANDER, MORGAN R. and ULIJN, REIN V., 2012. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES. 4(1), 53-58
• ZELZER, MISCHA, ALBUTT, DARREN, ALEXANDER, MORGAN R. and RUSSELL, NOAH A., 2012. PLASMA PROCESSES AND POLYMERS. 9(2), 149-156
• ZELZER, MISCHA, ALEXANDER, MORGAN R. and RUSSELL, NOAH A., 2011. ACTA BIOMATERIALIA. 7(12), 4120-4130
• BENNISTON, ANDREW C., HARRIMAN, ANTHONY, WHITTLE, VICTORIA L., ZELZER, MISCHA, HARRINGTON, ROSS W. and CLEGG, WILLIAM, 2010. PHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. 9(7), 1009-1017
• BENNISTON, ANDREW C., HARRIMAN, ANTHONY, WHITTLE, VICTORIA. L. and ZELZER, MISCHA, 2010. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 523-530
• ZELZER, MISCHA and ULIJN, REIN V., 2010. CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS. 39(9), 3351-3357
• ZELZER, MISCHA and ALEXANDER, MORGAN R., 2010. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B. 114(1), 569-576
• MAJANI, RUBY, ZELZER, MISCHA, GADEGAARD, NIKOLAJ, ROSE, FELICITY R. and ALEXANDER, MORGAN R., 2010. BIOMATERIALS. 31(26), 6764-6771
• ZELZER, MISCHA, SCURR, DAVID, ABDULLAH, BADR, URQUHART, ANDREW J., GADEGAARD, NIKOLAJ, BRADLEY, JAMES W. and ALEXANDER, MORGAN R., 2009. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B. 113(25), 8487-8494
• ZELZER, MISCHA, MAJANI, RUBY, BRADLEY, JAMES W., ROSE, FELICITY R. A. J., DAVIES, MARTYN C. and ALEXANDER, MORGAN R., 2008. BIOMATERIALS. 29(2), 172-184
• ZELZER, MISCHA, KAPPAUN, STEFAN, ZOJER, EGBERT and SLUGOVC, CHRISTIAN, 2007. MONATSHEFTE FUR CHEMIE. 138(5), 453-464
• TAYLOR, MICHAEL, URQUHART, ANDREW J., ZELZER, MISCHA, DAVIES, MARTYN C. and ALEXANDER, MORGAN R., 2007. LANGMUIR. 23(13), 6875-6878
• VORONIN, SERGEY A., BRADLEY, JAMES W., FOTEA, CATALIN, ZELZER, MISCHA and ALEXANDER, MORGAN R., 2007. JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A. 25(4), 1093-1097
• VORONIN, SERGEY A., ZELZER, MISCHA, FOTEA, CATALIN, ALEXANDER, MORGAN R. and BRADLEY, JAMES W., 2007. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B. 111(13), 3419-3429
• KAPPAUN, S, ZELZER, M, BARTL, K, SAF, R, STELZER, F and SLUGOVC, C, 2006. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY. 44(6), 2130-2138