May 2026 Program

Plenary Lecture

Dr. David Lechuga
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
Time: 11:05 a.m.

From First-in-Class to Lasting Impact: Inhaled Insulin’s Formulation Lessons.
Practical Takeaways for Engineering Aerosol Particles by Spray Drying

Inhaled insulin marked a milestone: the first biologic repurposed from subcutaneous injection to pulmonary delivery via a spray‑dried powder. Success required integrating protein stabilization, particle engineering, and aerosol science. During spray drying, rapid solvent removal vitrifies excipients, immobilizing insulin in an amorphous matrix. Small‑molecule excipients preserved secondary structure through atomization and drying; because some had low glass‑transition temperatures (Tg), higher‑Tg buffers were added to resist moisture plasticization and enhance storage stability. The engineered particles protected native conformation and enabled efficient respiratory delivery.

After Exubera’s 2006 approval, spray drying became a core technology for pulmonary delivery of complex biomolecules and later small‑molecule drugs. These principles yielded respirable powders of peptides, proteins, monoclonal antibodies, solid lipid nanoparticles, and even live attenuated vaccines. Hydrophobic amino acids (notably leucine) and the peptide trileucine emerged as benchmark excipients: their low solubility and surface activity form protective shells, limit interfacial damage, and create hydrophobic surfaces that improve aerosol dispersion. This foundation underpins today’s inhaled biologics and advanced dry‑powder therapeutics.

Short Talks

Dr. Romain Perriot
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Time: 11:45 a.m.

Multiscale Modeling of Growth Kinetics and Morphology of Energetic Materials Crystals

The properties of energetic materials are controlled by their microstructure, which influences both sensitivity and performance. Experimentally, crystal growth is largely a trial-and-error process in which parameters such as temperature, solvent type, and concentration are varied until the desired crystal type is obtained. Modeling approaches, meanwhile, are often limited by the accuracy of empirical interatomic potentials and the intrinsic multiscale complexity of the problem. In this work, we use density functional tight binding (DFTB) to predict the equilibrium crystal shape of two energetic materials, in good agreement with experimental observations. These results are then used to parameterize a cluster expansion model and perform kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulations predicting growth rates and resulting morphologies.

Amal Mohamed
Ph.D. Student, The Pennsylvania State University (Elacqua Lab)
Time: 12:15 p.m.

Carbon Nanothreads: An Emerging Class of Materials

Carbon nanothreads (CNThs) are an emerging class of one-dimensional nanomaterials featuring diamond-like sp³-hybridized cores that combine exceptional mechanical properties with tunable optical characteristics, rendering them attractive for multiple applications. CNThs are synthesized through pressure-induced polymerization of small molecules in the solid state. Monomer selection enables the incorporation of functional groups and heteroatoms, which allow for both control over molecular reaction pathways and tunable properties. The required high pressures (23-40 GPa), however, limit scalability. Herein, we explore strategies that leverage monomer properties to achieve a target-driven synthesis, facilitating scale-up through milder reaction conditions.