Dr Aaron J. Courtenay PhD MPharm MPSNI ARPharmS PGCHET SFHEA MRSC CChem GHF-CPhO

Dr Courtenay is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy at Ulster University, serving on the School Executive Leadership Team as Academic Research Lead for the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

He is Co-Director of the Centre for International Health Innovation & Partnerships (CIHIP), which is a cross-disciplinary initiative supporting collaborative, sustainable solutions in health systems globally, with active partnerships across the UK, Europe, and MENA regions.

As Academic Research Lead, Dr Courtenay oversees the School’s research strategy, aligning with Faculty Research portfolios and REF 2029 priorities, supporting the academic research teams. He collaborates closely with the Biomedical Sciences Institute Research Director to ensure budget alignment, strategic PhD recruitment, and high-quality outputs that support the ‘People, Places, Partnerships’ growth vision at Ulster University.

Dr Courtenay’s research portfolio focuses on pharmaceutical formulation, epigenomic biomarker diagnostics, and implementation science. He is the founder of Epifluidix^TM developing innovative, minimally invasive polymeric devices for oral cancer and pre-cancer biomarker detection, with proof-of-concept demonstrated in inflammatory biomarker capture for periodontal disease (patents filed).

Dr Courtenay also plays a strategic leadership role within research ethics and governance, currently serving as Vice Chair for the Office of Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland (ORECNI). Having been Pharmacist (Expert) member of ORECNI since 2019 he has served in RECb and Northern Ireland representative on the specialist ad-hoc REC established for the review of human challenge studys in COVID-19 vaccine development.

He actively contributes to shaping pharmacy education and workforce standards regionally and nationally through his roles with the Pharmacy Forum NI, the Commonwealth Pharmacy Association and CWPAMs as a Global Health Fellow to the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer England, and the Department of Health working groups for experiential learning implementation and strategic workforce planning.

A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Dr Courtenay has led significant growth in Ulster’s MPharm programme, successfully navigating two GPhC and PSNI accreditations, implementing prescriber-ready training, increasing student intake and capacity, and embedding Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) and experiential placements across Northern Ireland in partnership with the Department of Health, NICPLD, NICEP team, and Queen’s University Belfast. Under his leadership, the MPharm programme has remained top-tier in UK league tables, reflecting its continued excellence in delivering high-quality pharmacy education.

With a professional background that bridges clinical practice, research, education, and leadership, Dr Courtenay’s expertise extends to antimicrobial stewardship, global health partnerships, and the development of innovative education and implementation models within pharmacy and healthcare systems.

He is a Chartered Chemist (CChem), Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC), Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (MPSNI), and Associate Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (ARPharmS), maintaining a commitment to excellence in pharmacy education, impactful global health innovation, and translational research that drives better patient outcomes.