Depok, April 15, 2026 – The Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia (FFUI) welcomed Prof. Gregory Monteith, Director of Global Engagement & Professorial Research Fellow, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, to strengthen international collaboration in education and research. This visit is part of the Faculty of Pharmacy UI's efforts to expand its global collaboration network and improve the quality of education and research in the pharmaceutical field.
The visit took place on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia, and began with an executive meeting to discuss potential collaboration between FFUI and The University of Queensland. The meeting was led by the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia, Prof. apt. Silvia Surini, M.Pharm.Sc., Ph.D., and attended by faculty leaders and staff, along with representatives from The University of Queensland.
During the meeting, the two institutions discussed opportunities for developing collaboration in education and research, including plans for joint academic programs, collaborative research activities, and strengthening student mobility. The discussion also served as the initial step in reviewing the cooperation document and designing a form of collaboration that could benefit student competency development and improve the quality of pharmaceutical research.
The visit agenda continued with a guest lecture delivered by Prof. Gregory Monteith on the topic "Drug Discovery and Development Approaches for Cancer Therapy and the Masters of Pharmaceutical Industry Practice at the University of Queensland, Australia." This lecture was attended by students and academics of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia as part of an effort to broaden academic insight regarding the latest developments in cancer drug research and pharmaceutical education at the international level.
In his presentation, Prof. Gregory Monteith explained that calcium ion (Ca²⁺) homeostasis plays a crucial role in regulating cellular biological processes, including cell proliferation and apoptosis, which are associated with cancer development. The balance of calcium levels within cells is controlled by calcium ion channels, and disruption of this system can contribute to tumorigenesis.
One example discussed is the TRPV6 ion channel, which is known to play a role in regulating calcium levels in cells and has the potential to be a therapeutic target for several types of cancer, such as prostate and breast cancer. Prof. Gregory Monteith's research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of calcium signaling in cells and utilizing this to identify new drug targets for cancer therapy. This approach allows researchers to develop compounds that can inhibit cancer cell growth or trigger cancer cell death by specifically regulating calcium signaling pathways.
Additionally, the University of Queensland also offered opportunities for students from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia, who are interested in continuing their studies at the university, specifically in the Master of Pharmaceutical Industry Practice program. This program is designed to equip students with competencies relevant to the needs of the global pharmaceutical industry, including product development, regulation, and pharmaceutical industry management.
Through this visit and guest lecture, the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia, hopes that the collaboration with The University of Queensland can continue to develop in the form of sustainable collaborative education and research programs, as well as support the strengthening of human resource capacity and innovation in the fields of pharmacy and health.