Changquan Calvin Sun, PhD
Professor and Associate Department Head, Department of Pharmaceutics

Contact Info
Professor and Associate Department Head, Department of Pharmaceutics
PhD in Pharmaceutics, University of Minnesota
BS in Pharmacy, Shanghai Medical University
Summary
Expertise
- Formulation
- Solid-state chemistry
- Powder technology
- Crystal engineering
- Materials science and engineering
Awards & Recognition
Professional Associations
Research
Research Summary/Interests
Our research focuses on manufacturing science of solid dosage forms, such as tablets and capsules. Formulation and process development is achieved by a clear scientific understanding of powders, including their flow and compaction properties. In this way, design replaces trial and error, and improved quality results.
We rely on three levels of control to attain the desired powder properties for successful manufacturing: (1) study and specification of the physico-mechanical properties of drugs; (2) incorporation of appropriate excipients for optimum mechanical properties; and (3) optimization of processes such as mixing, granulation, and compaction, based on a mechanistic understanding.
Our current research interests include:
- Solubilization of poorly water-soluble drugs and other chemicals;
- Crystal engineering for superior pharmaceutical properties of drugs (e.g., the development of a crystal structure–mechanical property relationship based on molecular modeling, crystallography, and nano-indentation);
- Isolation and characterization of various solid forms, e.g., glasses, salts, cocrystals, and polymorphs, of drugs and excipients based on a thorough understanding of thermodynamics and kinetics of amorphization and crystallization phenomena;
- Understanding and improving solid-state stability of drugs or excipients during processing and storage (e.g., glass to crystal, crystal to glass, and one polymorph to another);
- Particle engineering for enhancing powder properties through controlled processes, such as crystallization, milling, and nano-coating;
- Rational design of high-quality solid dosage forms based on mechanical properties of drug, excipients, and their interactions in a powder mixture (in addition to considering common criteria, such as chemical stability and hygroscopicity);
- Mechanistic understanding of common pharmaceutical processes, such as granulation, milling, compaction, and coating, through both experimentation and computer modeling.
By systematically applying materials science principles to pharmaceutical systems, we will clearly define functionality of existing excipients and develop new types of excipient, including crystalline, polymeric, and co-processed powders.
Research Interests
- Crystal Engineering
- Particle Design
- Formulation
- Powder Technology
- Drug Solubilization
- Solid-state Science
- Manufacturing Science
Publications
For an updated list of publications, visit Professor Sun's Google Scholar and ResearchGate profiles.