Professor Parastou Donyai

Professor Parastou Donyai is the Head of the Department of Pharmacy and Professor of Behavioural Pharmacy in the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London. She is also the Chief Scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Professor Donyai obtained her pharmacy degree from King’s College London in 1993 and, after qualifying as a pharmacist, returned to King’s to complete her PhD in pharmaceutical science. During her career, she has undertaken additional education & training including via leadership courses run by Henley Business School, and obtaining postgraduate qualifications in teaching, and therapeutics. She has also formally trained in psychological theory (BSc Psychology) and research methods (PGD Psychological Research Methods). As well as working in academia, Professor Donyai has worked in the pharmaceutical industry, publishing, quality assurance and pharmacy practice settings including hospital and community pharmacy. Prior to her post at King’s, she was Professor of Social and Cognitive Pharmacy at the University of Reading for 14 years. During that time, Professor Donyai was an integral part of the Pharmacy Department’s management board, as Director of Pharmacy Practice from 2014-2020 and as Admissions Tutor from 2017-2019.

Professor Donyai has published extensively on behavioural pharmacy, including medication beliefs, medicines prescribing and use, and public opinion and willingness to engage in medicines reuse. Her work also examines how language plays a key role in communicating with patients as well as teaching students. She has additionally authored papers on medication safety and the stability of medication in use. Her research has been funded by the Wellcome Trust, Alzheimer’s Society, Pharmacy Research UK, Health Education England, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.