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• PhD in Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, 2022
• MRes in Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, 2018
• MPharm, Kerala University of Health Sciences 2016

Dr. Litty Johnson is a pharmaceutical scientist with expertise in nanomedicine, targeted drug delivery and mRNA therapeutics. Prior to joining the University Â鶹¾«Ñ¡, she was the Lead Formulation Scientist at a biotech company in Vienna, where she played a pivotal role in developing Langerhans cell-targeted drug delivery systems, specialising in mRNA and protein delivery. She also worked as a Research Associate at the University of Salzburg, contributing to the EU-funded NanoCommons project, which focused on the safety and classification of nanomaterials.

Litty earned her PhD from the University of Salzburg, where she investigated nanoparticle-allergen interactions and their implications for immune activation especially focusing on Allergy. She also holds an MRes from the University of Nottingham, where she explored supramolecular gelators for protein aggregation inhibition and an MPharm from Govt. Medical College, Kozhikode.

In addition to her research, Dr. Johnson is passionate about education and mentorship. She teaches and supervises MPharm students in areas such as advanced drug delivery, nanomedicine and biopharmaceutics. She has also guided students through experimental research projects. As an active contributor to the scientific community, she has presented her work at major international conferences and fosters interdisciplinary collaborations in pharmaceutical sciences.

Through her research and teaching, Litty aims to drive advancements in mRNA therapeutics, precision medicine and innovative pharmaceutical technologies, contributing to the future of drug delivery and immunotherapy.

• Pharmacy MPharm (4 year)

Litty is interested in supervising research projects in the following areas:

• Nanomedicine
• Protein drug delivery
• mRNA delivery
• Immune modulation
• Vaccine and drug delivery systems

mRNA vaccines for immunomodulation

Litty's current research focuses on the development and optimisation of mRNA vaccines for immunomodulation. Building on her background in lipid nanoparticle formulation and targeted drug delivery systems, she is investigating innovative approaches to harness mRNA technology for precise immune system modulation. Her work integrates expertise in formulation science, immunology and drug delivery to expand the therapeutic potential of mRNA beyond infectious disease applications.

Targeted delivery of vaccines

During her time at a biotech company, Litty contributed to the formulation and development of novel Langerhans cell-targeted drug delivery systems, with a particular focus on lipid nanoparticles for mRNA and targeted protein delivery. The work played a key role in advancing strategies for precise vaccine delivery to antigen-presenting cells, optimising both efficacy and specificity in immune responses.

Nanomaterials and safety research

As part of the NanoCommons H2020 project at the University of Salzburg, the research efforts were dedicated to developing tools for understanding and classifying nanomaterials, with a strong focus on promoting safe innovation and data-driven research in nanotoxicology. This work addressed key topics such as the computational prediction and experimental analysis of the nanoparticle-protein corona, the development of instance maps for organising complex experimental workflows in nanomaterial safety research.

Nanoparticle-based Immunotherapy

Her research at the University of Salzburg investigated the mechanistic understanding of nanoparticle-allergen interactions in allergic responses, with the aim of developing silica nanoparticles as novel adjuvants for allergen-specific immunotherapy. The work explored the safety and efficacy of allergen-nanoparticle conjugates for immunomodulation and optimised nanoparticle surface functionalisation strategies for immune modulation.

Supramolecular Gels for Protein delivery

Litty’s research at the University of Nottingham explored the impact of supramolecular nucleoside gels for protein delivery, particularly their potential in inhibiting protein aggregation using low molecular weight gelators. 

Registered Pharmacist- Kerala State Pharmacy Council

Member of Indian Pharmaceutical Association

Winner: Best Oral Presentation Award, Nanoweek conference 2022

Winner: Publication of the month- University of Salzburg 2021, 2023

Peer reviewer for journals