Dr Sifei Han is NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) Early Career Fellow at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University. After completing his undergraduate study at Nanjing University (2006) and master’s study at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (2009), Sifei relocated to Australia in 2010 for PhD training under the supervision of Professor Christopher Porter and Dr Natalie Trevaskis at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Following that he started working as a post-doc research fellow since 2014.

Under the mentorship of Professor Christopher Porter and through close collaboration with MIPS scientists in the theme of Medicinal Chemistry, Dr Han's research has focused on using lipid-mimetic prodrug strategies to enhance drug transport to the lymphatic system. This promotes the delivery of immunomodulatory drugs to the target site – the lymphatics, providing opportunities to improve treatment of conditions such as (auto)immune disorders where the lymphatic system is closely involved. Via redirecting drug transport to the lymphatics rather than the blood stream after oral absorption, the prodrug approach also enables the oral bioavailability of drugs and drug candidates that are normally subject to significant hepatic first-pass metabolism. Recently his research interests have expanded to using ionic liquids (lipophilic salts) and lipid based formulations to enhance the absorption of poorly water soluble drugs, and to develop the models and techniques to probe the underlying interactions. His research has been well recognised by international peers, exemplified by several high impact journal publications and prestigious awards. In addition to fundamental research outcomes, two patent applications have been filed attributing to the novelty and potential to translation into clinical products.

• Lymphatic drug transport
• Prodrug design and development
• Oral drug delivery, bioavailability enhancement
• Lipid-based formulation and ionic liquids design and assessment
• Lymph-directing strategies with related disease areas including cancer, immune disorders and metabolic syndrome

Dr. Sifei Han is the elected President of Chinese Association of Professionals and Scholars, Australia (CAPS Australia). CAPS represents more than 1200 Chinese research scholars, entrepreneurs and visiting scientists with broad academic backgrounds, and bridges academic and cultural exchanges between Australia and China.