Environmental Health Sciences Research Center

University of Iowa College of Public Health

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Maureen Donovan, PhD

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Dr. Donovan’s laboratory has been actively investigating the absorption of compounds via the nasal cavity for over 20 years. Current research is focused on identifying the mechanisms controlling the preferential disposition of materials absorbed across the nasal mucosa and transferred to the CNS. The lab is examining the ability of uptake and efflux transporters, along with endocytotic processes to transfer materials from the nasal cavity to the brain while bypassing the blood-brain barrier. With the increasing interest in the ability of inhaled environmental contaminants reaching the brain via the nasal/olfactory pathways,Dr. Donovan’s lab has initiated new investigations in the uptake of nanoparticles and other environmental toxins into the brain.

Selected Publications:

  1. Verma P.; Rezaei L.; Govindarajan R.; Greig N. H.; Donovan M. D. (2024). Gastroretentive Delivery System Approaches to Address pH-dependent Degradation of (+) and (-)-Phenserine. AAPS Pharm Sci Tech 25:198. DOI:10.1208/s12249-024-02903-w PMID: 39192157.
  2. Al Bakri W.; Donovan M. D. (2024). The Role of Membrane Transporters in the Absorption of Atrazine following Nasal Exposure. Inhal Tox. 36 (4) 250-260. DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2024.2348165 PMID:38738559
  3. Chede L. S.; Donovan M. D. (2023). Achieving Therapeutic Drug Concentrations in the Esophagus Using Bioadhesive Dosage Forms. Int J Pharm. 642:123115. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123115
  4. Albarki, M. A.; Donovan, M. D. (2022). Uptake of Cationic PAMAM-PLGA Nanoparticles by the Nasal Mucosa. SCIENTIA PHARMACEUTICA 90 (4). DOI: 10.3390/scipharm90040072.
  5. Bejgum, B. C.; Donovan, M. D. (2021). Uptake and Transport of Ultrafine Nanoparticles (Quantum Dots) in the Nasal Mucosa. Molecular Pharmaceutics 18 (1) 429-440. DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c01074. PMID: 33346666.
  6. Vasa, D. M.; Bakri, Z.; Donovan, M. D.; O’Donnell, L. A.; Wildfong, Peter L. D. (2021). Evaluation of Ribavirin-Poloxamer Microparticles for Improved Intranasal Absorption. PHARMACEUTICS 13 (8). DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081126.
  7. Rezaei, L.; Meruva, S.; Donovan, M. D. (2021). Effect of Manufacturing Process on the Retention of Abuse-Deterrent Properties of PEO-Matrix Tablets. AAPS PHARMSCITECH 23 (1). DOI: 10.1208/s12249-021-02169-6.
  8. Chede, L. S.; Wagner, B. A.; Buettner, G. R.; Donovan, M. D. (2021). Electron Spin Resonance Evaluation of Buccal Membrane Fluidity Alterations by Sodium Caprylate and L-Menthol. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES 22 (19). DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910708.
  9. Al Khafaji, Ammar S.; Donovan, M. D. (2021). Endocytic Uptake of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles by the Nasal Mucosa. PHARMACEUTICS 13 (5). DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13050761.
  10. Meruva, S.; Donovan, M. D. (2020). Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) Molecular Weight Effects on Abuse-Deterrent Properties of Matrix Tablets. AAPS PharmSciTech 21 (1) 28. DOI: 10.1208/s12249-019-1565-y.
  11. Albarki, M. A.; Donovan, M. D. (2020). Bigger or Smaller? Size and Loading Effects on Nanoparticle Uptake Efficiency in the Nasal Mucosa. AAPS PharmSciTech 21 (8) 294. DOI: 10.1208/s12249-020-01837-3.
  12. Meruva, S.; Rezaei, L.; Thool, P.; Donovan, M. D. (2020). Use of Drug Release Testing to Evaluate the Retention of Abuse-Deterrent Properties of Polyethylene Oxide Matrix Tablets. AAPS PharmSciTech 21 (7) 270. DOI: 10.1208/s12249-020-01804-y. PMID: 33025237.
  13. Donovan, M. D.; Meruva, S. (2019). Effects of Drug-Polymer Interactions on Tablet Properties During the Development of Abuse-Deterrent Dosage Forms. AAPS PharmSciTech 20 (3) 93. DOI: 10.1208/s12249-018-1221-y. PMID: 30690657.
  14. Al Bakri, W.; Donovan, M. D., Cueto, M.; Wu, Y.; Orekie, C.; Yang, Z. (2018). Overview of Intranasally Delivered Peptides: Key Considerations for Pharmaceutical Development. Exp Opin Drug Del 15 (10) 991-1005. DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2018.1517742. PMID: 30173579.
  15. Foo, M. W.; Sawant, N.; Overholtzer, E.; Donovan, M. D. (2018). A Simplified Geometric Model to Predict Nasal Spray Deposition in Children and Adults. AAPS PharmSciTech 19 (7) 2767–2777. DOI: 10.1208/s12249-018-1031-2. PMID: 29948982.
  16. Awasthi, R.; An, G.; Donovan, M. D.; Ponto, L. L. (2018). Relating Observed Psychoactive Effects to the Plasma Concentration of ∆9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) and Active Metabolite: An Effect-Compartment Modeling Approach. J Pharm Sci 107 (2) 745-755. DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2017.09.009. PMID: 28942005.
  17. Sawant, N.; Donovan, M. D. (2018). In Vitro Assessment of Spray Deposition Patterns in a Pediatric (12 Year-Old) Nasal Cavity Model. PharmRes 35 (5). DOI: 10.1007/s11095-018-2385-6. PMID: 29582159.
  18. Dhamankar, V.; Donovan, M. D. (2017). Modulating Nasal Mucosal Permeation Using Metabolic Saturation and Enzyme Inhibition Techniques. J Pharm Pharmacol 69 (9) 1075-1083. DOI: 10.1111/jphp.12749. PMID: 28542812.
  19. Ponto, L. L.; Huang, J.; Walsh, S. A.; Acevedo, M. R.; Mundt, C.; Sunderland, J.; Donovan, M. D. (2017). Demonstration of Nucleoside Transporter Activity in the Nose-to-Brain Distribution of [18F]fluorothymidine Using PET Imaging. The AAPS Journal 20. DOI: 10.1208/s12248-017-0158-5.
  20. Xu, J.; Li, G.; Wang, Z.; Si, L.; Huang, J.; Donovan, M. D. (2016) The Role of L-type Amino Acid Transporters in the Uptake of Glyphosate across Mammalian Epithelial Tissues. Chemosphere 145 487-494. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.11.062.
  21. Ponto, L. L.; Walsh, S.; Huang, J.; Mundt, C.; Thede-Reynolds, K.; Watkins, G. L.; Sunderland, J.; Donovan, M. D. (2017). Pharmacoimaging of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeable (FDG) and Impermeable (FLT) Substrates after Intranasal (IN) Administration. The AAPS Journal. DOI: 10.1208/s12248-017-0157-6. PMID: 29218424. PMCID: PMC5798226.
  22. Dhamankar, V.; Assem, M.; Donovan, M. D. (2015). Expression and Localization of Major Cytochrome P450 Metabolizing Isoforms in Bovine Nasal Olfactory and Respiratory Mucosa. Inhal. Tox. 16 1-11. DOI: 10.3109/08959378.2015.1066903.
  23. Al-Ghabeish, M.; Scheetz, T.; Assem, M.; Donovan, M. D. (2015). Microarray Determination of Expression of Drug Transporters in Humans and Animal Species Used in the Investigation of Nasal Absorption. Mol. Pharm. 12 (8) 2742-2754.
  24. Zhang, H.; Lin, C. W.; Donovan, M. D. (2013). Correlation between Nasal Membrane Permeability and Nasal Absorption Rate. AAPS PharmSciTech 14 (1) 60-63. DOI: 10.1208/s12249-012-9884-2.