معرفی
Professor Amira Guirguis is the MPharm Programme Director at Swansea University Medical School within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science. An internationally recognized expert in substance misuse and novel psychoactive substances (NPS), she pioneered educational initiatives on NPS for healthcare professionals and established the UK's first Home Office-licensed Pharmacist-led drug checking service. Her academic journey began with accounting before transitioning to pharmacy, where she earned her PhD in the in-field detection of NPS.
Professor Guirguis' research spans multiple critical areas in substance misuse including harm reduction interventions, drug detection methodologies, and public health approaches to novel psychoactive substances. Her work combines analytical chemistry with clinical pharmacology, particularly focusing on Raman spectroscopy for field detection of substances. She has made significant contributions to understanding the misuse of over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, and emerging substances including veterinary medicines repurposed for human use. Her recent research explores the intersection of GLP-1 receptor agonists with substance use behaviors and mental health outcomes.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on pharmacovigilance approaches to understanding substance misuse patterns, with particular emphasis on emerging trends in drug combinations, designer substances, and the interface between mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Her work frequently employs mixed-methods approaches combining database analysis, social media monitoring, and analytical chemistry techniques to track evolving drug markets and their health implications.
- 2014 winner of the JPAG's Geoffrey Phillips award
- Principal Investigator of the first-Home Office-licensed Pharmacist-led drug checking service in the UK
- Regular contributor to policy discussions on substance misuse
- International speaker on NPS and harm reduction
Professor Guirguis actively supervises postgraduate research and has developed both undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy education modules focused on substance misuse. Her teaching spans clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical calculations, analytical chemistry, and integrated curricula approaches. She has contributed significantly to improving healthcare professional understanding of NPS through publications and educational initiatives, with particular attention to LGBTQ+ treatment disparities in substance misuse services.
