This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 956146.

Ekaterina Bocharova

“From bedside to bench and back” is a concept that emphasizes patients’ needs in research. I am fascinated to be a part of the project that implements the concept so widely.

ESR 4: Physicochemical characteristics of upper gastrointestinal contents of older people and their impact on oral drug absorption

Host institution: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Supervisors: M. Vertzoni (NKUA), C. Reppas (NKUA), A. Kourentas (Novartis; secondment)

Research project in AGePOP

The aim of the project is to investigate physicochemical properties of luminal contents in older people. Based on the obtained data, the comparison between geriatric and adult population will be made. To promote precise in vitro simulations, a specific media will be developed for drug performance evaluation.

Scientific background

Ekaterina Bocharova graduated in Pharmacy from the Russian University of Friendship of Peoples in Moscow. Wanting to follow a scientific path and study drug development, she joined a selective Master’s programme in Molecular Medicine and Innovative Treatment at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. There, Ekaterina Bocharova worked on a project on drug development and drug-drug interactions in silico, gaining experience in laboratory and computer-based approaches to drug development.

About Ekaterina Bocharova

Ekaterina Bocharova grew up in Moscow, Russia, and attended a school where she was intensively involved in biology and chemistry. This was crucial in her decision to study pharmacy. The prospect of creating knowledge and using it to meet people’s needs captivated her. In particular, she still finds the way we can influence human health with different active ingredients, their dosage and formulation amazing. Therefore, Ekaterina was determined to become a researcher and study abroad. Being in the heart of innovative drug research has given her a better understanding of the multidisciplinary approaches of pharmaceutical sciences. Looking for an intellectual challenge, she decided to pursue a PhD and joined the AGePOP project. The most attractive part of the project for her is working closely with vulnerable patients to improve their well-being.