Yifan Lu
At Pacific Since: 2025
Yifan Lu ’19, PhD earned his bachelor of science in pharmaceutical science and master of science in pharmaceutics from Fudan University in Shanghai. He earned his doctor of philosophy in pharmaceutical and chemical sciences from University of the Pacific.
Growing up in a family with a pharmacist and a high school chemistry teacher, he developed a deep respect for science and its ability to improve lives. Pursuing pharmaceutical sciences allowed him to combine his creativity, curiosity and enthusiasm for problem-solving into meaningful innovation.
Dr. Lu has experience in analytical research and development, Good Manufacturing Practices, pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality control validation. He earned a Good Clinical Practice training certification at GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Lu is a member of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.
Dr. Lu has explored the realms of academia, pharmaceutical industry and entrepreneurship in both Asian and North America. He has firsthand experience with Investigational New Drug and New Drug Application regulatory submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Union’s European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the People’s Republic of China’s National Medical Products Administration. Dr. Lu also represented different teams during inspections by the FDA, EMA and the California Department of Public Health. These inspections covered a wide range of operations, from manufacturing to clinical trials.
He enjoys blending creativity and science, from laboratory formulations to culinary experiments at home. In the kitchen, he combines Asian and international flavors. As a certified youth soccer coach and referee, he promotes teamwork and discipline among young players in the Stockton community. A musician with a wide range of interests, he plays the accordion, piano, guitar and drums.
BS in Pharmaceutical Science, Fudan University, China
MS in Pharmaceutics, Fudan University, China
PhD in Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences, University of the Pacific
Teaching Philosophy
“Teaching through integration — connecting theory with practical application across the drug development lifecycle. My goal is to cultivate curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, preparing students to navigate real-world challenges.”
Courses
BSPS 110 - Introduction to Pharmaceutical Analysis
BSPS 130 - Quality in Pharmaceuticals: Control and Assurance
Research Summary
“My research focuses on how medicines are developed and formulated to ensure they are safe, effective and high-quality — from the initial lab concepts to clinical use.”
Research Interests
- Pharmaceutical analysis, including analytical method development and validation to meet research and regulatory requirements
- Translation of academic discoveries into clinically ready pharmaceutical products, with a focus on practical problem-solving and troubleshooting in complex formulation and manufacturing challenges
- Nanotechnology-based drug formulation and characterization aligned with regulatory standards
- Application of AI, computational modeling and advanced analytical instrumentation to support target validation and drug candidate optimization, including binding affinity prediction, ADME profiling, developability assessment and data-driven formulation design
