Interview with Dr. Zizhao Xu—Winner of the Pharmaceutics Travel Award

Dr. Zizhao Xu is currently a post-doctoral researcher at Northeastern University, USA, where his research focuses on formulation development and predictive performance evaluation across multiple delivery technologies and modalities, with a particular emphasis on locally acting drug products and nanomedicines. We would like to congratulate Dr. Zizhao Xu on winning the Pharmaceutics 2026 Travel Award.

The following is an interview with Dr. Xu:

1. As the winner of this award, what would you most like to express?
I am deeply grateful to Pharmaceutics for this recognition. This award is both an honor and an encouragement, and it reinforces my commitment to advancing pharmaceutical sciences through impactful, translational research.

2. How did you first become aware of this award, and what inspired you to submit your application?
I learned about the travel award through Pharmaceutics announcements and my PI’s recommendation, and felt it aligned well with my research goals. The opportunity to present my work, engage with the scientific community, and gain feedback from experts motivated me to apply.

3. Could you briefly introduce your primary research focus and share an update on your current progress? Looking ahead, what do you anticipate will be the key emerging topics in your field over the next few years?
My research focuses on formulation development and predictive performance evaluation across multiple delivery technologies and modalities, with a particular emphasis on locally acting drug products and nanomedicines. My current research focuses on developing in vitro–based characterization strategies to support the evaluation and approval of generic drug products, thereby advancing regulatory science. Ultimately, this work aims to improve public access to high-quality, safe, and affordable topical rectal and vaginal medications.

4. What significance does this award hold for your research career and your participation in this conference?
This award provides invaluable support for attending the conference and presenting my work to a broader audience. It also serves as strong recognition of my research efforts and helps me build meaningful connections with researchers and industry professionals.

5. In your view, how can academic journals and publishers further support early career researchers and the broader academic community?
Academic journals and publishers can play a meaningful role in supporting early career researchers by lowering barriers to participation in the scholarly community. For example, travel awards and publication fee waivers can make it easier for trainees and junior investigators to share their work at conferences and in high-quality journals, which is critical for career development. In addition, guided peer-review opportunities would be valuable in helping junior scientists develop critical skills in scientific evaluation and scholarly communication. Expanding these initiatives would not only benefit individual researchers but also strengthen the rigor, diversity, and sustainability of the scientific community as a whole.

6. Based on your experience, do you have any specific suggestions for the continued development of Pharmaceutics?
Pharmaceutics could further strengthen its impact by expanding Special Issues focused on emerging technologies, encouraging more interdisciplinary research, and sustaining initiatives such as awards to scientists across different career stages, with particular support for early career investigators, as well as creating avenues for editorial engagement that broaden participation in the journal’s scholarly community.