Dr Gilda Padalino

Lecturer, Pharmacy

gilda.padalino@swansea.ac.uk

Basic Welsh Speaker

Office - 264
First Floor
Grove Building
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8580-1293

ResearchGate

Scopus

About

Gilda trained as a medicinal chemist at the University of Salerno (Italy) where she gained her degree (BSc and MSc in Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology, part of the Pharmacy Degree) with a final year project on development of epigenetic inhibitors for the prostate cancer treatment.

Firstly, she worked as registered Pharmacist in a local community pharmacy in Italy. She then enrolled in a drug discovery PhD project focused on parasitology (in 2015). The project was a collaboration between Aberystwyth and Cardiff University, and it was funded by the Life Science Research Network Wales. Her research has focused on the biological investigation of epigenetic targets withing the parasite as well as identification and development of anti-schistosomal drugs.

In 2022 she was appointed as Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (Cardiff University) to work on the design, synthesis, and optimisation of potent anti-schistosomal compounds which derived from her PhD.

Gilda is a chemical biologist, and she enjoys working in interdisciplinary environments and bridging the gap between biological underpinnings of a specific research topic and the chemical investigation for drug discovery applications.

Gilda has joined Swansea University as lecturer in Biopharmaceutics in September 2023.

Areas Of Expertise

Drug discovery
Parasite
Epigenetics
Medicinal Chemistry
Molecular Modelling and virtual screening
Molecular and cell Biology
Drug screening

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

Chemistry
Biology
Pharmaceutics
Parasite
Chemotherapy

Research Award Highlights Collaborations

Publications

Research Highlights

Schiedel, M., McArdle, D., Padalino, G., Chan, A., Forde-Thomas, J., McDonough, M., Whiteland, H., Beckmann, M., Cookson, R., Hoffmann, K., & Conway, S. (2023). Small Molecule Ligands of the BET-like Bromodomain, SmBRD3, Affect Schistosoma mansoni Survival, Oviposition, and Development. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 66(23), 15801-15822.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01321, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65218
Padalino, G., Whatley, K., Padalino, G., Whiteland, H., Geyer, K., Hulme, B., Chalmers, I., Forde-Thomas, J., Ferla, S., Brancale, A., & Hoffmann, K. (2019). The repositioning of epigenetic probes/inhibitors identifies new anti-schistosomal lead compounds and chemotherapeutic targets. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(11), e0007693
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007693, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55234
Padalino, G., Padalino, G., Ferla, S., Brancale, A., Chalmers, I., & Hoffmann, K. (2018). Combining bioinformatics, cheminformatics, functional genomics and whole organism approaches for identifying epigenetic drug targets in Schistosoma mansoni. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance, 8(3), 559-570.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2018.10.005, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55465
Padalino, G., Padalino, G., El-Sakkary, N., Liu, L., Liu, C., Harte, D., Barnes, R., Sayers, E., Forde-Thomas, J., Whiteland, H., Bassetto, M., Ferla, S., Johnson, G., Jones, A., Caffrey, C., Chalmers, I., Brancale, A., & Hoffmann, K. (2021). Anti-schistosomal activities of quinoxaline-containing compounds: From hit identification to lead optimisation. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 226, 113823
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113823, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57836
Padalino, G., Giancotti, G., Nannetti, G., Padalino, G., Landini, M., Santos-Ferreira, N., Dycke, J., Naccarato, V., Patel, U., Silvestri, R., Neyts, J., Gozalbo-Rovira, R., Rodríguez-Díaz, J., Rocha-Pereira, J., Brancale, A., Ferla, S., & Bassetto, M. (2022). Structural Investigations on Novel Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors of Human Norovirus Polymerase. Viruses, 15(1), 74
https://doi.org/10.3390/v15010074, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62577
Padalino, G., Celatka, C., Jr., H., Kalin, J., Cole, P., Lassalle, D., Forde-Thomas, J., Chalmers, I., Brancale, A., Grunau, C., & Hoffmann, K. (2023). Chemical modulation of Schistosoma mansoni lysine specific demethylase 1 (SmLSD1) induces wide-scale biological and epigenomic changes. Wellcome Open Research, 8, 146
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18826.1, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64428
http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18826.1
Chakroborty, A., Pritchard, D., Bouillon, M., Cervi, A., Cookson, A., Wild, C., Fenn, C., Payne, J., Holdsworth, P., Capner, C., O’Neill, J., Padalino, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Gupta, S., Smith, B., Fisher, M., Lahmann, M., Baird, M., & Hoffmann, K. (2022). Flukicidal effects of abietane diterpenoid derived analogues against the food borne pathogen Fasciola hepatica.. Veterinary Parasitology, 309, 109766
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2022.109766, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64429
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2022.109766
Coghlan, A., Padalino, G., O'Boyle, N., Hoffmann, K., & Berriman, M. (n.d.) Identification of anti-schistosomal, anthelmintic and anti-parasitic compounds curated and text-mined from the scientific literature. Wellcome Open Research, 7, 193
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17987.1, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64430
http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17987.1
Hulme, B., Geyer, K., Forde-Thomas, J., Padalino, G., Phillips, D., Ittiprasert, W., Karinshak, S., Mann, V., Chalmers, I., Brindley, P., Hokke, C., & Hoffmann, K. (2022). Schistosoma mansoni α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (SmNAGAL) regulates coordinated parasite movement and egg production. PLOS Pathogens, 18(1), e1009828
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009828, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64431
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009828
Gasan, T., Kuipers, M., Roberts, G., Padalino, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Wilson, S., Wawrzyniak, J., Tukahebwa, E., Hoffmann, K., & Chalmers, I. (2021). Schistosoma mansoni Larval Extracellular Vesicle protein 1 (SmLEV1) is an immunogenic antigen found in EVs released from pre-acetabular glands of invading cercariae. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(11), e0009981
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009981, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64432
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009981
Padalino, G., Chalmers, I., Brancale, A., & Hoffmann, K. (2020). Identification of 6-(piperazin-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine as a chemical scaffold with broad anti-schistosomal activities. Wellcome Open Research, 5, 169
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16069.2, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64433
http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16069.2
Padalino, G., Ferla, S., Brancale, A., Chalmers, I., & Hoffmann, K. (2019). Erratum to ‘Combining bioinformatics, cheminformatics, functional genomics and whole organism approaches for identifying epigenetic drug targets in Schistosoma mansoni’ [IJP Drugs Drug Resist. 8 (2018) 559–570]. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance, 10, 91
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.07.001, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64436
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.07.001
Roquis, D., Taudt, A., Geyer, K., Padalino, G., Hoffmann, K., Holroyd, N., Berriman, M., Aliaga, B., Chaparro, C., Grunau, C., Augusto, R., & Padalino, G. (n.d.) Histone methylation changes are required for life cycle progression in the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. PLOS Pathogens, 14(5), e1007066
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007066, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64438
Cosseau, C., Wolkenhauer, O., Padalino, G., Geyer, K., Hoffmann, K., & Grunau, C. (2017). (Epi)genetic Inheritance in Schistosoma mansoni: A Systems Approach. Trends in Parasitology, 33(4), 285-294.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2016.12.002, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64439
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2016.12.002
Padalino, G., Coghlan, A., Pagliuca, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Berriman, M., & Hoffmann, K. (2023). Using ChEMBL to Complement Schistosome Drug Discovery. Pharmaceutics, 15(5), 1359
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15051359, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64493
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15051359
Caldwell, N., Afshar, R., Baragaña, B., Bustinduy, A., Caffrey, C., Collins, J., Fusco, D., Garba, A., Gardner, M., Gomes, M., Hoffmann, K., Hsieh, M., Lo, N., McNamara, C., Nono, J., Padalino, G., Read, K., Roestenberg, M., Spangenberg, T...., & Gilbert, I. (2023). Perspective on Schistosomiasis Drug Discovery: Highlights from a Schistosomiasis Drug Discovery Workshop at Wellcome Collection, London, September 2022. ACS Infectious Diseases, 9(5), 1046-1055.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00081, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64494
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00081
Chakroborty, A., Pritchard, D., Bouillon, M., Cervi, A., Kraehenbuehl, R., Wild, C., Fenn, C., Holdsworth, P., Capner, C., Padalino, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Payne, J., Smith, B., Fisher, M., Lahmann, M., Baird, M., & Hoffmann, K. (2023). Modified Hederagenin Derivatives Demonstrate Ex Vivo Anthelmintic Activity against Fasciola hepatica. Pharmaceutics, 15(7), 1869
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15071869, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64496
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15071869

All Research

Journal Articles

Schiedel, M., McArdle, D., Padalino, G., Chan, A., Forde-Thomas, J., McDonough, M., Whiteland, H., Beckmann, M., Cookson, R., Hoffmann, K., & Conway, S. (2023). Small Molecule Ligands of the BET-like Bromodomain, SmBRD3, Affect Schistosoma mansoni Survival, Oviposition, and Development. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 66(23), 15801-15822.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01321, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65218
Chakroborty, A., Pritchard, D., Bouillon, M., Cervi, A., Kraehenbuehl, R., Wild, C., Fenn, C., Holdsworth, P., Capner, C., Padalino, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Payne, J., Smith, B., Fisher, M., Lahmann, M., Baird, M., & Hoffmann, K. (2023). Modified Hederagenin Derivatives Demonstrate Ex Vivo Anthelmintic Activity against Fasciola hepatica. Pharmaceutics, 15(7), 1869
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15071869, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64496
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15071869
Caldwell, N., Afshar, R., Baragaña, B., Bustinduy, A., Caffrey, C., Collins, J., Fusco, D., Garba, A., Gardner, M., Gomes, M., Hoffmann, K., Hsieh, M., Lo, N., McNamara, C., Nono, J., Padalino, G., Read, K., Roestenberg, M., Spangenberg, T...., & Gilbert, I. (2023). Perspective on Schistosomiasis Drug Discovery: Highlights from a Schistosomiasis Drug Discovery Workshop at Wellcome Collection, London, September 2022. ACS Infectious Diseases, 9(5), 1046-1055.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00081, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64494
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00081
Padalino, G., Coghlan, A., Pagliuca, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Berriman, M., & Hoffmann, K. (2023). Using ChEMBL to Complement Schistosome Drug Discovery. Pharmaceutics, 15(5), 1359
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15051359, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64493
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15051359
Padalino, G., Celatka, C., Jr., H., Kalin, J., Cole, P., Lassalle, D., Forde-Thomas, J., Chalmers, I., Brancale, A., Grunau, C., & Hoffmann, K. (2023). Chemical modulation of Schistosoma mansoni lysine specific demethylase 1 (SmLSD1) induces wide-scale biological and epigenomic changes. Wellcome Open Research, 8, 146
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18826.1, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64428
http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18826.1
Padalino, G., Giancotti, G., Nannetti, G., Padalino, G., Landini, M., Santos-Ferreira, N., Dycke, J., Naccarato, V., Patel, U., Silvestri, R., Neyts, J., Gozalbo-Rovira, R., Rodríguez-Díaz, J., Rocha-Pereira, J., Brancale, A., Ferla, S., & Bassetto, M. (2022). Structural Investigations on Novel Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors of Human Norovirus Polymerase. Viruses, 15(1), 74
https://doi.org/10.3390/v15010074, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62577
Chakroborty, A., Pritchard, D., Bouillon, M., Cervi, A., Cookson, A., Wild, C., Fenn, C., Payne, J., Holdsworth, P., Capner, C., O’Neill, J., Padalino, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Gupta, S., Smith, B., Fisher, M., Lahmann, M., Baird, M., & Hoffmann, K. (2022). Flukicidal effects of abietane diterpenoid derived analogues against the food borne pathogen Fasciola hepatica.. Veterinary Parasitology, 309, 109766
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2022.109766, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64429
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2022.109766
Hulme, B., Geyer, K., Forde-Thomas, J., Padalino, G., Phillips, D., Ittiprasert, W., Karinshak, S., Mann, V., Chalmers, I., Brindley, P., Hokke, C., & Hoffmann, K. (2022). Schistosoma mansoni α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (SmNAGAL) regulates coordinated parasite movement and egg production. PLOS Pathogens, 18(1), e1009828
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009828, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64431
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009828
Padalino, G., Padalino, G., El-Sakkary, N., Liu, L., Liu, C., Harte, D., Barnes, R., Sayers, E., Forde-Thomas, J., Whiteland, H., Bassetto, M., Ferla, S., Johnson, G., Jones, A., Caffrey, C., Chalmers, I., Brancale, A., & Hoffmann, K. (2021). Anti-schistosomal activities of quinoxaline-containing compounds: From hit identification to lead optimisation. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 226, 113823
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113823, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57836
Gasan, T., Kuipers, M., Roberts, G., Padalino, G., Forde-Thomas, J., Wilson, S., Wawrzyniak, J., Tukahebwa, E., Hoffmann, K., & Chalmers, I. (2021). Schistosoma mansoni Larval Extracellular Vesicle protein 1 (SmLEV1) is an immunogenic antigen found in EVs released from pre-acetabular glands of invading cercariae. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(11), e0009981
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009981, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64432
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009981
Padalino, G., Chalmers, I., Brancale, A., & Hoffmann, K. (2020). Identification of 6-(piperazin-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine as a chemical scaffold with broad anti-schistosomal activities. Wellcome Open Research, 5, 169
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16069.2, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64433
http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16069.2
Padalino, G., Whatley, K., Padalino, G., Whiteland, H., Geyer, K., Hulme, B., Chalmers, I., Forde-Thomas, J., Ferla, S., Brancale, A., & Hoffmann, K. (2019). The repositioning of epigenetic probes/inhibitors identifies new anti-schistosomal lead compounds and chemotherapeutic targets. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(11), e0007693
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007693, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55234
Padalino, G., Ferla, S., Brancale, A., Chalmers, I., & Hoffmann, K. (2019). Erratum to ‘Combining bioinformatics, cheminformatics, functional genomics and whole organism approaches for identifying epigenetic drug targets in Schistosoma mansoni’ [IJP Drugs Drug Resist. 8 (2018) 559–570]. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance, 10, 91
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.07.001, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64436
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.07.001
Padalino, G., Padalino, G., Ferla, S., Brancale, A., Chalmers, I., & Hoffmann, K. (2018). Combining bioinformatics, cheminformatics, functional genomics and whole organism approaches for identifying epigenetic drug targets in Schistosoma mansoni. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance, 8(3), 559-570.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2018.10.005, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55465
Cosseau, C., Wolkenhauer, O., Padalino, G., Geyer, K., Hoffmann, K., & Grunau, C. (2017). (Epi)genetic Inheritance in Schistosoma mansoni: A Systems Approach. Trends in Parasitology, 33(4), 285-294.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2016.12.002, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64439
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2016.12.002
Coghlan, A., Padalino, G., O'Boyle, N., Hoffmann, K., & Berriman, M. (n.d.) Identification of anti-schistosomal, anthelmintic and anti-parasitic compounds curated and text-mined from the scientific literature. Wellcome Open Research, 7, 193
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17987.1, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64430
http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17987.1
Roquis, D., Taudt, A., Geyer, K., Padalino, G., Hoffmann, K., Holroyd, N., Berriman, M., Aliaga, B., Chaparro, C., Grunau, C., Augusto, R., & Padalino, G. (n.d.) Histone methylation changes are required for life cycle progression in the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. PLOS Pathogens, 14(5), e1007066
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007066, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64438

Taught Modules

PM-000 Foundation Biological Chemistry

The module aims to provide the student with a broad overview of biological chemistry, explain the differences between different classes of compounds from both a chemical perspective and a biological function emphasis. Students will appreciate the different functions of these bio-molecules and gain an understanding of key examples of each in relation to human biology.
PMP101 Health, Disease and Patient

A comprehensive understanding of human body systems, encompassing their structure and function in both health and disease, is essential for health care professionals, including pharmacists. The Health, Disease and Patient (HDP) module aims to develop this knowledge by delving into the body¿s essential cellular and molecular processes. This foundation is built upon to explore how cells and different organ systems function and interact to maintain a healthy physiological state. The HPD module also explores the consequences of dysfunction in these systems that lead to diseases and the body¿s response to infection, nutritional imbalance, and genetic disorders. Learners will use this knowledge to gain a basic understanding of how drugs and therapeutics can be used to address and manage these pathological conditions. To achieve these learning objectives, the HDP module focuses on the integration of various bioscience themes and disciplines, including Cell Biology; Biochemistry; Molecular Biology; Microbiology; Genetics (covered within the Cellular & Molecular Biosciences theme), Anatomy and Physiology; Pharmacology & Therapeutics. The HDP module will be delivered using various teaching resources and methods encompassing didactic, experiential, problem-based and interactive learning. Themes integration is progressively introduced in Year 1 through integrated case studies, which will link different themes and two or more patient-centred modules progressively. Due to the integrated, spiral nature of the curriculum, learning outcomes from this module will also be reinforced and contextualised by learning delivered within the Practice of Pharmacy (PMP-103) and Drugs and Medicines (PMP-102) modules. Likewise, learning outcomes primarily delivered within PMP-102 and PMP-103 modules may also be covered during this module to ensure that students' scientific knowledge relates to and informs their clinical practice. Professionalism skills will be reinforced and contextualised via the Pharmacist as a Professional (PMP-100) module.
PMP102 Drugs & Medicines

This module aims to develop your knowledge in the areas of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry: Following the entire medicine development process, learners will be introduced to the principles of drug discovery and development, from identification of drug targets to medicine licensing. An introduction to the fundamentals of chemical and pharmaceutical science concepts that underpin the design and manufacture of medicines will be given. The module demonstrates the role of chemistry in the development of drugs and how physicochemical aspects of molecules influence their behaviour. Different sources and purification of substances used in medicines will be described together with a variety of analytical instruments and their pharmaceutical applications. Principles of medicine formulation and systems for medicine delivery in the body will be presented together with how medicines¿ quality is assured and controlled to ensure patient safety and improved outcomes. Integration between basic science and pharmacy practice is introduced incrementally in Year 1 through integrated teaching, which link two or more modules. Due to the integrated, spiral nature of the curriculum, learning outcomes from this module will also be reinforced and contextualised by learning delivered within the Practice of Pharmacy (PMP-103) and Health, Disease and Patient (PMP-101) modules. Likewise, learning outcomes primarily delivered within those modules may also be covered during this module to ensure that students' scientific knowledge related to and informs their clinical practice. Skills in professionalism will be reinforced and contextualised by learning delivered within the Pharmacist as a Professional (PMP-100) module.
PMP201 Patient-Centred Learning I (PCLI)

The PMP201 is the first of the three Patient-Centred Learning (PCL) modules delivered in Years 2 &3 of the B230, M.Pharm Pharmacy (Hons) programme. This semester-long (11 weeks) module encompasses 4 vertically integrated study units (ISU), including cardiovascular (CVS), respiratory (RES), Infection (INF) and gastrointestinal (GIS). Further, PMP201 horizontally spirals up with the 7 subject themes: pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, cellular & molecular biosciences, anatomy & physiology, pharmacology & therapeutics, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice. The module aims to enable students to reasonably apply their fundamental knowledge (drugs & medicines, health, disease and patient, and practice of pharmacy) acquired from the Year 1 module (PMP101, PMP102 and PMP103) to the patient and people-centred professional scenarios. The module aims to enable students to transfer knowledge from educational and psychological, pharmaceutical, and pharmacological theories into solving problems and making decisions in new previously unseen patient-related situations. In addition, the learning will be supported by robust contextualisation of science into pharmacy practice, emerging developments with precision/ personalised pharmacy and working with other healthcare professionals (interprofessional education) through multi-disciplinary teaching & learning, and extensive clinical exposure with simulated patients and professional scenarios via in-person community, hospital and GP pharmacy placements. Thus, this module also envisages a progressive development of transferable skills, including recognition, responsible action, problem-solving, ethical, and emotional intelligence, decision making and others.
PMP303 New Knowledge (NK60)

PMP303 New Knowledge is the dissertation research project for the MPharm Pharmacy (Hons) programme, conducted in semester 2 of year 3. This semester-long (11 weeks) module comprises largely of independent experimental/research work and production of a written dissertation demonstrating in-depth knowledge of research methodology and enquiry through designing and conducting a research project (under the direction of one or more project supervisors) in areas of the science or practice of pharmacy including but not limited to clinical pharmacy, digital pharmacy, drug delivery, pharmaceutical chemistry, microbiology, cell and molecular biology, immunology, pharmacology, data science, pharmacy education and public health. The aim of this module is to provide the opportunity for students to explore a specific issue of improving the science or practice of pharmacy including health and well-being of the patients through participating in their own enquiry-based research project. The research project maybe completed individually or are completed collaboratively in small groups (4-5 students; students will be responsible for their own area of a larger research project) under the direction of one or more project supervisors (e.g., university academic and external supervisor e.g. a hospital or community pharmacist). The focus of the projects varies but the science or practice of pharmacy remains at the core of all projects. Like in previous modules PMP302 also horizontally spirals up with the 7 subject themes: pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, cellular & molecular biosciences, anatomy & physiology, pharmacology & therapeutics, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice ¿ forming the basis of student research projects with the inclusion of additional themes (where appropriate) for example, data science (prescribing) and pharmacy education. Where projects are external to the university, they have been pre-agreed between the university and the project placement site. The project may be laboratory or non-laboratory based, but it will always involve a research question that is drawn from the literature and focused on a topic relevant to Pharmacy. It will ask a novel research question and involve the critical analysis of research findings. Students have dedicated time to spend on their project. This time is allocated to tasks such as project planning, literature review, developing a specific tool/resource, collecting data, analysing data that they collect or that has been collected by others (data science), meeting with supervisors, meeting with wider research team, reflecting on findings and problem-solving. Students will refine their project management, and oral and written communication skills to FHEQ Level 6 through creating a project overview and Gantt chart on scoping the project background, an appropriate PICO based research question, study methodology including research ethics/governance and timeline; and presentation of an academic poster summarising their research at an in-house `MPharm conference¿ and a written dissertation on their research including conclusion and suggested further research. Successful projects will require significant self-directed learning and the ability to work well in a team.

Key Grants and Projects

Technology Transfer Grant Development Award 2021

£ 10,000 for the investigation of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for schistosomiasis (funded by Aberystwyth University - role: Co-Investigator), £10,000
Joy Welch Research Fund 2021

£ 5,540 to support the project ‘Surveying chromatin structure in Schistosoma mansoni using ATAC-seq’ - funded by Aberystwyth University role: Principal Investigator, £5,540
Technology Transfer Grant Development Award 2020

£ 10,000 for assessing the antimicrobial potencies of novel chemical entities in collaboration with Public Health Wales, Cardiff (funded by Aberystwyth University - role: Co-Investigator) , £10,000
Global Wales International Research Mobility Fund 2020

£ 2,500 to support mobility and facilitate abroad research opportunities (funded by Aberystwyth University - role: Principal Investigator) , £2,500
Translational Support Fund 2018

£ 5,000 to perform in vitro ADME screening services of some selected compounds (provided by the Life Science Research Network Wales, LSRNW - role: Co-Investigator), £5,000

Career History

Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

February 2022 - August 2023
Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Drug Discovery, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK

October 2019 - January 2022

Public Engagements

Gilda became STEM Ambassador in May 2023

Gilda recently started supporting an important initiative known as Herminthology that promotes the work of women in parasitology, publishing profiles of women parasitologists, including mine (as featured in Trends in Parasitology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2022.11.013).

She volunteered in an outreach event known as ‘British Science week’ hold in Aberystwyth University in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

She has contributed to University Open Days in all the host Institutions she was employed for.

Invited Presentations, Lectures and Conferences

15th International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA 2022)

August 2022

Copenhagen (Denmark)
British Society Parasitology - Parasites Online meeting 2021

June 2021

Online conference
British Society Parasitology - Spring meeting

April 2018

Aberystwyth (Wales)

Dr Gilda Padalino

Email address

Welsh language proficiency

LinkedIn Account

Research Links

About

Areas Of Expertise

Career Highlights

Publications

Research Highlights

All Research

Journal Articles

Taught Modules

PM-000 Foundation Biological Chemistry

PMP101 Health, Disease and Patient

PMP102 Drugs & Medicines

PMP201 Patient-Centred Learning I (PCLI)

PMP303 New Knowledge (NK60)

Key Grants and Projects

Technology Transfer Grant Development Award 2021

Joy Welch Research Fund 2021

Technology Transfer Grant Development Award 2020

Global Wales International Research Mobility Fund 2020

Translational Support Fund 2018

Career History

Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Drug Discovery, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK

Public Engagements

Invited Presentations, Lectures and Conferences

15th International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA 2022)

British Society Parasitology - Parasites Online meeting 2021

British Society Parasitology - Spring meeting