Professor Paul A. McCarron holds a Chair in Pharmaceutics and is currently the Head of School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ulster University.A registered pharmacist and member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, with experience of industrial and academic pharmacy, he has a particular interest in the development of advanced drug delivery systems with a expertise in translating novel delivery strategies into the clinical and commercial settings.He is currently a company director in Swedish Pharma and founder of Jenarron Therapeutics Ltd.  Both companies are at an early stage and in the preliminary rounds of raising seed capital funding to develop innovative topical dosages forms. The former company is concentrating on the development of bioadhesive oral patches, whilst Jenarron Therapeutics is commercialising a wound hydrogel for use in management of chronic wounds and acute laceration.Research InterestsProf McCarron’s research interests concern the development and characterisation of nanoparticulate systems and topical formulations. Following substantial funding from the Research and Development Office in Northern Ireland, Prof McCarron developed and trialed an innovative putty-type material for delivering anaesthesia to acute laceration.Results published recently in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, the foremost journal for emergency medicine research, demonstrate efficacy based on a non-inferiority study when compared to infiltration of lidocaine solution.FundingDepartment of Education for Northern Ireland.