Professor Moein Moghimi
About
Professor Moein Moghimi completed his secondary education at d’Overbroeck’s College in Oxford before studying Biochemistry at the University of Manchester, where he graduated with honours in 1985. He subsequently undertook doctoral research in biochemistry and liposome immunobiology under the mentorship of H.M. Patel at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School (University of London), now part of Imperial College London, receiving his PhD in 1989. Following his doctorate, he joined the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Nottingham for postdoctoral training in advanced drug-delivery-system engineering under Professor Stanley S. Davis, one of the formative figures in modern drug-delivery science. He later became a University Research Fellow at Nottingham. This cross-disciplinary training at the intersection of pharmaceutical sciences, nanoscience and innate immunity established the foundation that would define his pioneering contributions to nanomedicine and site-specific drug delivery.
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Education, Academic Foundation and Advanced Training
Academic Leadership and Global Appointments
Professor Moghimi has held prominent international academic chairs and institutional roles across Europe and the United States over three decades. Early in his academic career, he served as a Senior Lecturer in Biopharmaceutics at the University of Brighton (UK), where he successfully established and led the Molecular Targeting and Polymer Toxicology Group. His subsequent leadership appointments include serving as Professor of Nanomedicine and Founder/Director of the multi-million-euros funded Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology (CPNN) at the University of Copenhagen. He also served as a Full Affiliate Member/Professor at the Houston Methodist Research Institute (USA) from 2013 to 2017 and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Padua (Italy) in 2015, where he launched Europe's first integrated Nanomedicine-Business course. His career further encompasses tenures as Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutics at Durham University (UK), Professor of Pharmaceutics and Nanomedicine at Newcastle University (UK), and Adjoint Professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Colorado Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety, University of Colorado-Denver (USA).
High-Impact Scientific Contributions
Ranked among the leading 50 global researchers in Pharmacology and Pharmacy by Stanford University–Elsevier's science-wide citation database, Professor Moghimi’s primary research focus areas span drug delivery, nanomedicine, innate immunity, infusion reactions, nanosafety, and engineering biology. He has authored over 300 highly cited, peer-reviewed articles in flagship journals like ACS Nano, FEBS Letters, Molecular Therapy, Nature Communications, Nature Nanotechnology and Science Advances, as well as book chapters, proceedings and a strong portfolio of granted patents. His academic leadership is further underscored by his current editorial roles as Editor-in-Chief of Drug Delivery (Taylor & Francis) and Journal of Nanotheranostics (Basel) and Deputy Editor for Molecular Therapy (Cell Press). He previously served as Associate Editor for Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine (Elsevier). His global scientific stature is further reflected through his current editorial board positions for prominent journals, including Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews (Elsevier), Journal of Controlled Release (Elsevier) and Nanomedicine (Taylor & Francis).
A cornerstone of his scientific impact is his central role in spearheading highly competitive pan-European consortia. He partnered and drove the success of landmark large-scale European Commission FP7 translational nanomedicine initiatives, including The NAD Project (targeting Alzheimer’s disease) and CosmoPHOS NANO (addressing atherosclerosis). The NAD project achieved monumental success, being designated a definitive "Horizon 2020 Success Story" by the European Commission and securing Second Prize in the “Best Completed Project Contest” at the high-level European Commission Industrial Technologies Conference. Furthermore, as a leading Scientist-in-Charge, his pioneering work extends into DIRNANO (Directing the Immune Response through designed NANOmaterials)—a prestigious project funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) network. Within DIRNANO, his team introduced breakthrough methodologies in developing next-generation, immunologically safer nanomedicines and advanced training programs for early-stage researchers.
Keynotes and Speaking Engagement
Over his distinguished career, Prof. Moghimi has delivered over 400 international lectures, keynotes and plenary presentations at the invitation of many world-class institutions and prestigious organisations worldwide, including The Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UK), The American Chemical Society, The American Oil Chemists’ Society, The American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, British Pharmaceutical Conference, British Society for Nanomedicine, British Toxicology Society, The German Pharmaceutical Society, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, College de France, The Controlled Release Society (and many of its local chapters in different countries), COST Action Europe, European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine (CLINAM) conferences, European Science Foundation, Hansonwade’s conferences, Industry (e.g., Adocia SA, Alza Corp., Astra Zeneca, BASF-AG, Eastman Kodak, Guerbet SA, Hoffmann-La-Roche, Sanofi), International Pharmaceutical Technology Symposia, Marie Curie Actions Workshops, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Nanotechnology Characterisation Laboratory (USA), NATO Advanced Studies Institute conferences, New York Academy of Sciences, Oxford Global, TechConnect World Innovation; Vall d’Hebron Hospital, Volkswagen Foundation, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and leading universities and research institutes such as Aarhus, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, Italian Institute of Technology, Korean Institute of Science and Technology, London Centre for Nanotechnology, Padua, Pennsylvania, Stanford, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Tsinghua, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Vienna.
Commercialisation, Venture Creation and Board Advisory
Beyond the laboratory, Professor Moghimi is an accomplished translational scientist and biotech entrepreneur who seamlessly bridges deep academic breakthroughs with the commercial sector. He is the co-founder and scientific driving force behind the S. M. Discovery Group (SMDG), an entity dedicated to advancing proprietary therapeutic platforms and advanced nucleic acid delivery systems for neurodegenerative disorders and rare pediatric neurological diseases. Because of his profound expertise in identifying nanoparticle-mediated complement activation and predicting severe infusion reactions, he has become one of the world's most sought-after minds for clinical risk mitigation. To date, he has served as a trusted strategic advisor for over 50 global healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, legal firms and private organisations, providing uncompromised, independent scientific consultancy and due diligence.
Science has no boundaries, and we must work to make it more inclusive. This is not only our responsibility but a necessity; we need diversity to address the major challenges of our time. By building a diverse ecosystem, our societies can thrive, drive future innovations, and create a more equitable world. I have believed in this mission throughout my entire life. This commitment stems from my own diverse cultural background and personal experiences—such as adapting to new countries, learning new languages, and working to build a career in science—as well as my dedication to fostering an inclusive research and teaching environment.