Geoff Smith

Geoff Smith is Professor of Pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology in the Leicester School of Pharmacy at De Montfort University (UK). His research group focuses on pharmaceutical applications for impedance, dielectric and terahertz spectroscopies alongside optical techniques such as laser speckle and optical flow. He is responsible for the development of through-vial impedance spectroscopy (TVIS) as a PAT tool for monitoring phase behaviour (ice formation and eutectics), ice interface temperatures, primary drying rates and end points.
He is a specialist in pharmaceutical materials science, physical analytical measurement techniques (including dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, thermal analysis, terahertz spectroscopy), process measurement and control (esp. freeze-drying). Responsible for the development of TVIS – a novel in process analytical technology for monitoring and developing optimised freeze-drying cycles, and Z-FDM – a freeze-drying microscope with integrated impedance spectroscopy capability. Since 2015, and with the expertise of Ahmet Orun, the PAT platform has been extended to include dynamic laser speckle techniques (for tablet characterization and for studying microcollapse in freeze-dried drug products).