School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

  • Qualification

    PhD of Pharmaceutics (UCL), B. Pharm (Hons) (USM)

  • Senior Lecturer

    Discipline of Pharmaceutical Technology

  • Editorial board member

    International Journal of Cosmetic Sciences

  • Editorial board member for Young Scholars

    Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis

  • Young Investigator Editorial Board

    European Journal of Pharmaceutics & Biopharmaceutics

  • Room

    J02 Room 127

  • Contact

    +604-6533888 Ext. 2074

  • Email

    choonfugoh@usm.my

Author ID

Goh Choon Fu, Dr

Dr Choon Fu Goh is a senior lecturer in Pharmaceutical Technology at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He graduated with a B. Pharm. (First Class Honours) from USM in 2010 before pursuing his PhD (Pharmaceutics) at the School of Pharmacy, University College London (UCL) in 2012. Since April 2016, he established a skin research group at the current university and is now leading the research in mucosal and topical/transdermal drug delivery.

His main research interest is the development of functional biomaterials (e.g. hydrogels, nanoparticles, lyophilised sponges, microneedles) from abundant resources available in Malaysia, namely rice grains and biomasses. He also works actively in (trans)dermal formulation designs and establishes collaborations with local pharmaceutical industries. He has received several funds from the university and external agencies including international grants from China government. His work is consistently published in prestigious journals and he has numerous experiences sharing his research findings around the world. He has close collaborations with different international institutions including UCL, Newcastle University, and Chiang Mai University.

He actively participates in the scientific community including the Controlled Release Society (CRS) Young Scientist Committee and the Malaysia Local Chapter of the Controlled Release Society (MyCRS) (currently a Vice President). In 2022, he was invited to join editorial board of the International Journal of Cosmetic Sciences and later in 2023, the editorial board for Young Scholars of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis and the Young Investigator Editorial Board of the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. He was also selected as one of the six Malaysian young scientists to participate in the 71st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting 2022 in Germany.

  • The main research by Choon Fu and the team is the development of functional biomaterials from abundant resources available in Malaysia, namely paddy and biomasses. His current research interest focuses on several aspects including:

    1. Development of biomaterials for buccal and topical/transdermal drug delivery e.g. thin film, hydrogel, aerogel, sponge, nanoparticles, microneedles etc.
    2. Drug delivery and formulation for mitragynine (ketum/kratom)
    3. Tocotrienol dermal delivery and formulation
    4. Characterisation of pharmaceutical systems using thermal, chemical and imaging techniques
    5. Topical and transdermal drug delivery including rational formulation development
    6. Human skin biophysical profiling for cosmeceutical interests
    7. Utilisation and investigation of innovative tools for teaching and learning process in pharmacy education

    Ongoing Research

    1. Biomaterial development from biomass and rice starch
    2. Drug delivery and formulation for mitragynine (ketum/kratom)
    3. Tocotrienol dermal delivery and formulation
    4. Human skin biophysical profiling
    5. Machine learning for dermal drug delivery
    6. Medicinal plant extraction and formulation for dermal drug delivery
    1. Mucosal and topical/transdermal drug delivery including rational formulation development
    2. Characterisation of pharmaceutical systems
    1. F. Iliopoulos, C.F. Goh, T. Haque, A. Rahma, M.E. Lane, Dermal Delivery of Diclofenac Sodium - In Vitro and In Vivo Studies, Pharmaceutics, 14 (2022) 2106.
    2. Y.S. Sim, Z.Y. Chong, J. Azizi, C.F. Goh*, Development and validation of a gradient HPLC-UV method for mitragynine following in vitro skin permeation studies, Journal of Chromatography B, 1204 (2022) 123316.
    3. A.Q. Almashhadani, C.P. Leh, S.-Y. Chan, C.Y. Lee, C.F. Goh*, Nanocrystalline cellulose isolation via acid hydrolysis from non-woody biomass: Importance of hydrolysis parameters, Carbohydrate Polymers, 286 (2022) 119285.
    4. C.F. Goh*, J. Hadgraft, M.E. Lane, Thermal analysis of mammalian stratum corneum using differential scanning calorimetry for advancing skin research and drug delivery, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 614 (2022) 121447.
    5. C.F. Goh*, M.E. Lane, Advanced structural characterisation of pharmaceuticals using nano-thermal analysis (nano-TA), Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 180 (2022) 114077.
    6. S.C. Yeoh, C.F. Goh*, Topical delivery of salicylates, Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 12 (2022) 981-1001.
    7. C.F. Goh*, N. Mohamed Faisal, F.N. Ismail, Facial Skin Biophysical Profile of Women in Malaysia: Significance of Facial Skincare Product Use, Skin Pharmacolo Physiol., 34 (2021) 351–362.
    8. L.C. Wong, C.P. Leh, C.F. Goh*, Designing cellulose hydrogels from non-woody biomass, Carbohydrate Polymers, 264 (2021) 118036.
    9. C.F. Goh*, D. O’Flynn, R. Speller, M.E. Lane, Spatial resolution of drug crystallisation in the skin by X-ray micro-computed tomography, Micron, 145 (2021) 103045
    10. B.H. Alrimawi, M.Y. Chan, X.Y. Ooi, S.-Y. Chan, C.F. Goh*, The Interplay Between Drug and Sorbitol Contents Determines the Mechanical and Swelling Properties of Potential Rice Starch Films for Buccal Drug Delivery, Polymers, 13 (2021) 578
    11. C.P. Leh, J. Lamaming, W.P. Tan, C.F. Goh, M.H. Mohamad Kassim, R. Hashim, Ceibapentandra (L.) Gaertn (Kapok) Seed Fibre as a Recycled Paper Reinforcement Pulp, Waste and Biomass Valorization, (2021).
    12. C.F. Goh*, L.C. Ming, L.C. Wong, Dermatologic reactions to disinfectant use during the COVID-19 pandemic, Clinics in Dermatology, 39 (2021) 314-322.
    13. X.-Y. Teoh, C.F. Goh, N. Aminu, S.-Y. Chan, Quantification of atovaquone from amorphous solid dispersion formulation using HPLC: An in vitro and ex vivo investigation, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 192 (2021) 113631.
    14. C.F. Goh*, B.J. Boyd, D.Q.M. Craig, M.E. Lane, Profiling of drug crystallization in the skin, Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 17 (2020) 1321-1334.
      *corresponding author
    1. FAR 122 Dosage Form I
    2. FAR 222 Dosage Form II
    3. FAR 224 Drug Delivery and Targeting
    1. THP Medical Sdn Bhd (PPRN project)
    2. Sarawak Biodiversity Centre
    3. Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (Veterinary)
    1. CRS Young Scientist Registration Grant Award - Controlled Release Society Virtual Annual Meeting, 2021
    2. Second Runner Up - The Crown Prince CIPTA Award 2021 (Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Brunei), 2021
    3. Best Oral Presentation - 27th Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations Congress (Manila, Philippines), 2018
    4. Silver medal - Teaching and Learning (USM, Penang), 2018
    5. Bronze medal - Invention, Innovation & Design on E-Learning (IIDEL), International University Carnival on e-Learning (IIUM, Gombak), 2018

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
11800 Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
Tel : +604-653 2211  |  Fax: +604-657 0017