Chemistry
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Rodney J Wigent

Professor
Chemistry
University of the Sciences
United States of America

Biography

"Expertise: Graduate Education, University Administration, Research Administration, Thermodynamics, Chemical Kinetics, Pharmaceutics (Drug Delivery), Electrolyte Solutions, Effect of Water on Drug Excipients and Biological Systems Trained as a physical chemist, Dr. Wigent studied water and the effects on biological molecules using thermodynamics in graduate school. He also developed models to explain the thermodynamic properties of concentrated electrolyte solutions. Upon coming to PCPS, now USciences, as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry, he continued his studies on the effects of water on various physical systems such as the structure and stability of DNA, DNA supercoiling, and the physical properties of microcrystalline cellulose and carrageenans. These interests lead to his involvement with many projects with the faculty and graduate students in the Department of Pharmaceutics, where he received a secondary faculty appointment. Dr. Wigent became very interest in the educational development of undergraduate and graduate students, especially in encouraging them to perform research. He began mentoring many of these students’ research endeavors. He served as the primary research advisor for many undergraduate and graduate students and served on many research advisory committees. He soon found himself as Director of the Graduate Programs in the Department of Chemistry and was heavily involved in the faculty governance of graduate education within the University. Shortly after obtaining University status which required more scholarship/research and graduate education within the University, Dr. Wigent was given a second administrative appointment as Dean of the College of Graduate Studies in 1999 charged with the responsibility to make this happen. In 2003 he was appointed as Director of Research responsible for creating a viable research infrastructure within the University to increase research-based scholarship. Dr. Wigent continues to teach a graduate-level chemical kinetics course and continues to mentor graduate students’ research endeavors while performing his administrative duties. He belongs to several professional organizations which support his academic interest, such as Sigma Xi, American Chemical Society and American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientist) as well as organizations which support his administrative interests, such as NAGAP, COGS and LES/AUTM)."

Research Interest

Studying solution thermodynamics through activity and osmotic coefficients, density, and viscosity measurements. Investigating environmental factors that affect supercoiling of plasmid DNA in bacteria. Exploring how to optimize drug-carrageenan formations to improve drug release profiles. Thermodynamic properties of water and aqueous solutions Physical chemical properties and characterization of drug excipients Effect of drug binding on DNA topology

Publications

  • Wigent RJ, Leifer L. Determination of osmotic and activity coefficients in mixed electrolyte systems. Systems containing clathrate-forming salts. The Journal of Physical Chemistry. 1984 Sep;88(19):4420-6.

  • Huang J, Wigent RJ, Bentzley CM, Schwartz JB. Nifedipine solid dispersion in microparticles of ammonio methacrylate copolymer and ethylcellulose binary blend for controlled drug delivery: effect of drug loading on release kinetics. International journal of pharmaceutics. 2006 Aug 17;319(1):44-54.

  • Huang J, Wigent RJ, Schwartz JB. Drug–polymer interaction and its significance on the physical stability of nifedipine amorphous dispersion in microparticles of an ammonio methacrylate copolymer and ethylcellulose binary blend. Journal of pharmaceutical sciences. 2008 Jan 1;97(1):251-62.

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