Jindřich Kopeček
Encyclopedia
Jindřich Kopeček (born January 27, 1940, in Strakonice
, Czech Republic
) is a polymer
chemist and pharmaceutical scientist notable as one of the pioneers in drug delivery
. He is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Utah
in Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Bioengineering , an editorial board
member of 16 international scientific journals, and a fellow at 13 scientific societies .
Dr. Kopeček has made significant contribution to the developments of biomedical applicable hydrogels and polymeric drug conjugates. He was a member of the research group at Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
where polymeric soft contact lenses was invented. His lab designed and developed N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-drug conjugates as a lysosomal delivery vehicle to cancer cells. The concept of HPMA as polymeric drug carriers has opened a new perspective in modern pharmaceutical science, and developed into the first polymer-drug conjugates entering clinical trials . For these contributions, he was elected as a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering
in 2011 .
. Before joining the University of Utah in 1986, he served as a principal investigator at the IMC (1972–1988) .
Dr. Kopeček is also an elected member of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
(1995) and American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (1994). He has served as President of the Controlled Release Society (1995–1996), Co-Director of Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery at the University of Utah (1986–present), and Chair of the Biomaterials and Interfaces Study Section at United States National Institutes of Health
(2003–2006).
His research has high impact in areas of bioconjugate chemistry, biorecognition of macromolecules, developments of drug delivery
systems and self-assembled
biomaterials. He has authored more than 400 scientific publications cited over 12,500 times. Many of his research has over the years advanced from concept to clinic and applied to a variety of different fields. Hydrogels from his laboratory have been in clinical uses, and HPMA copolymer-anticancer drug conjugates are in clinical trials. During his career, he has trained many successful chemists and pharmaceutical scientists all over the world .
Strakonice
Strakonice is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Estimated population: 24,000.-History:The settlement of this region took place in the second half of 12th century when a castle was built...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
) is a polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
chemist and pharmaceutical scientist notable as one of the pioneers in drug delivery
Drug delivery
Drug delivery is the method or process of administering a pharmaceutical compound to achieve a therapeutic effect in humans or animals. Drug delivery technologies modify drug release profile, absorption, distribution and elimination for the benefit of improving product efficacy and safety, as well...
. He is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Bioengineering , an editorial board
Editorial board
The editorial board is a group of people, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take.- Board makeup :...
member of 16 international scientific journals, and a fellow at 13 scientific societies .
Dr. Kopeček has made significant contribution to the developments of biomedical applicable hydrogels and polymeric drug conjugates. He was a member of the research group at Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
The Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences was established in 1953 to be the scientific center for Czechoslovakia. It was succeeded by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in 1992.-History:...
where polymeric soft contact lenses was invented. His lab designed and developed N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-drug conjugates as a lysosomal delivery vehicle to cancer cells. The concept of HPMA as polymeric drug carriers has opened a new perspective in modern pharmaceutical science, and developed into the first polymer-drug conjugates entering clinical trials . For these contributions, he was elected as a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in 2011 .
Biography
Dr. Kopeček completed his Ph.D. training in macromolecular chemistry at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (IMC) and received a D.Sc. degree in chemistry from the Czechoslovak Academy of SciencesCzechoslovak Academy of Sciences
The Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences was established in 1953 to be the scientific center for Czechoslovakia. It was succeeded by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in 1992.-History:...
. Before joining the University of Utah in 1986, he served as a principal investigator at the IMC (1972–1988) .
Dr. Kopeček is also an elected member of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering is an organization of biomedical engineers, which focuses on taking principles of engineering to and applying them to improve the medical and biological engineering fields...
(1995) and American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (1994). He has served as President of the Controlled Release Society (1995–1996), Co-Director of Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery at the University of Utah (1986–present), and Chair of the Biomaterials and Interfaces Study Section at United States National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
(2003–2006).
His research has high impact in areas of bioconjugate chemistry, biorecognition of macromolecules, developments of drug delivery
Drug delivery
Drug delivery is the method or process of administering a pharmaceutical compound to achieve a therapeutic effect in humans or animals. Drug delivery technologies modify drug release profile, absorption, distribution and elimination for the benefit of improving product efficacy and safety, as well...
systems and self-assembled
Self-assembly
Self-assembly is a term used to describe processes in which a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organized structure or pattern as a consequence of specific, local interactions among the components themselves, without external direction...
biomaterials. He has authored more than 400 scientific publications cited over 12,500 times. Many of his research has over the years advanced from concept to clinic and applied to a variety of different fields. Hydrogels from his laboratory have been in clinical uses, and HPMA copolymer-anticancer drug conjugates are in clinical trials. During his career, he has trained many successful chemists and pharmaceutical scientists all over the world .
Selected Awards
- Distinguished International Scientist Award, Japanese Biomaterials Society (2006)
- Heyrovský Medal for merit in the chemical sciences, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (2003)
- AAPS PharmSci and AAPS PharmSciTech Outstanding Use of Technology Award, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (2003)
- Paul Dawson Biotechnology Award, American Association of Colleges of PharmacyAmerican Association of Colleges of PharmacyThe American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy is the national association of schools and colleges of pharmacy and their faculty.-External links:* *...
(2001) - Millennial Pharmaceutical Scientist, Millennial World Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences (2000)
- Founders Award, Controlled Release Society (1999)
- Clemson Award for Basic Research, Society for Biomaterials (1995)
- Distinguished Research Award, University of Utah (1993)