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       Dedication – Professor Viness Pillay (1970–2020)

       This book is dedicated to a leading pharmaceutical sciences researcher and academic, Professor Viness Pillay, who passed away peacefully on the morning of 24 July 2020 after a lengthy illness. He was just four days away from his 50th birthday.

       A Personal Professor of Pharmaceutics, Prof. Pillay held the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) – National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa Research Chair in “Pharmaceutical Biomaterials and Polymer‐Engineered Drug Delivery Technologies” and also served as the founding director of the Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform (WADDP) Research Unit for more than two decades.

       Prof. Pillay spent his career making a substantial contribution to pharmaceutical sciences research. His work transcended in producing several inventions in the design of advanced drug delivery systems, biomaterials, nanomedicines, and de novo tissue engineering and bio‐inks for 3D printing.

       He had an outstanding insight and ability to identify important therapeutic challenges and present research results that questioned conventional wisdom. This led him to developing several inventions including the world's fastest dissolving matrix for the onset of rapid drug action in the human body, a neural device for therapeutic intervention in spinal cord injury and novel wound‐healing technologies. He has also pioneered numerous molecular modeling paradigms as a first‐in‐the‐field of pharmaceutics including his very own PEiGOR Theory – Pillay's Electro‐influenced Geometrical Organization–Reorganization Theory published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics.

       His research was always at the forefront and led him to publish more than 300 research articles in ISI‐accredited international journals, 45 book chapters, editor of 2 books, and 21 granted patents. He was also the recipient of numerous prestigious national and international accolades.

       Capacity development and transformation played a central role in the work of Prof. Pillay, so much so that he has developed the largest cohort of talent in the pharmaceutical sciences in South Africa. This was a fitting testament to his servant heart that always spoke to doing what was right and what was good for people – a living motto of, “the world can always use one more kind and compassionate person.” He had a brilliant poise of producing not only great science but scientists too.

       Throughout his career Prof. Pillay was greatly loved as an influential researcher, teacher, prodigy, friend, mentor, life coach, supervisor, and confidant of more than 120 postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows from nine different countries as well as colleagues and friends from around the world. In 2019, he received the prestigious NRF Award as the Champion of Research Capacity Development and Transformation at Public Science and Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. He loved to love people, and this was strongly felt by his students who have gone on to successful careers making a difference as leaders in some of the world’s best‐run pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and research organizations.

       His work brought together outstanding individuals from many different academic disciplines and is an inspiration to his students and colleagues. In addition to using his powerful intellect, creativity, and communication skills to make research contributions, he has used these gifts to also bring about new thinking and models of cohort mentorship and team‐based research. He created science, synthesized ideas, provided and challenged viewpoints, developed careers, redefined pharmaceutical innovation, garnered accolades, and above all, made researchers – all with an unshakeable attitude and indomitable humility.

       A visionary, a giant of science, and a truly wonderful person, gone too soon. His colossal knowledge, inspirational leadership, and legacy has made a positive impact on all those who knew him and will always be carried forward to ease such a great loss and pain.