Postal Address
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Cambridge
New Museums Site
Pembroke Street
Cambridge, CB2 3RA, UK

Lab
Magnetic Resonance Research Centre
Cavendish Laboratories
JJ Thomson Avenue
Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UKTel.: +44 (0) 1223 761631
Fax: +44 (0) 1223 334796
University website

Axel's major research interest is in terahertz spectroscopy and imaging of pharmaceutical solids. Over the last few years he has systematically started to investigate how properties of drug materials can be characterised by terahertz (1 THz = 10¹² Hz) radiation, a part of the electromagnetic spectrum between microwaves and infrared radiation that was only recently exploited.

Terahertz radiation has the important property that it interacts with vibrational modes that extend across large domains of a crystal lattice. This makes terahertz spectroscopy unique: even though it is possible to excite molecules using a variety of energies it is only through the careful selection of the low energy in the terahertz range that it is possible to selectively excite crystal lattice vibrations and study in a unique way the presence and nature of interactions between molecules. Besides its application for spectroscopy, terahertz light can also be used for imaging. Axel has been exploring potential applications of terahertz imaging for different types of tablet coatings, controlled release tablets and capsules.

In addition to his work on terahertz spectroscopy and imaging, he is currently exploring the applications of magnetic resonance imaging for pharmaceutics and possible synergisms between terahertz and magnetic resonance techniques.

Dr Axel Zeitler is a  Lecturer at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge. He is also a Research Fellow at Gonville & Caius College. Prior to working at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Axel has been working at the School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, New Zealand; the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK; and TeraView Ltd.

may2010_in-line.pdf May RK, Evans MJ, Zhong S, Warr I, Gladden LF, Shen YC and Zeitler JA 2010. Terahertz in-line sensor for direct coating thickness measurement of individual tablets during film coating in real-time, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (accepted).

tomography_review_EJPB.pdf Zeitler JA and Gladden LF, In-vitro Tomography and Non-Destructive Imaging at Depth of Pharmaceutical Solid Dosage Forms, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 71(1):2-22, doi:10.1016/j.ejpb.2008.08.012

preprint-cphc.200700261.pdf Zeitler JA, Taday PF, Gordon KC, Pepper M, Rades T 2007. Solid-State Transition Mechanism in Carbamazepine Polymorphs by Time-Resolved Terahertz Spectroscopy. ChemPhysChem 8(13):1924-1927.

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