Dr Peter Cragg, Dr Flavia Fucassi and Dr Lizzy Ostler
Free radical destruction
Free radicals are energetically unstable molecules that have been implicated in a number of conditions including cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. We have been investigating the effects of metal-containing catalytic antioxidant molecules to neutralise the effects of radicals such as superoxide. Techniques that connect pure chemistry to cellular biology - from DNA-on-a-chip quartz microbalance experiments to Comet assays - have been central to our research. We have found that two natural compounds, a-lipoic acid and glutathione, help our catalysts to function safely. In related work we used our DNA assay to show the potential dangers of a natural antioxidant, vitamin C, when taken in ‘megadoses’.
Biosensors
The RAWHIDE project, funded by the EPSRC in collaboration with the Universities of Ulster and Nottingham, has led to the development of a new fluorescent marker that targets new blood vessels in order to visualise wound healing and, potentially, cancer growth.
Medicinal chemistry
A variety of natural products called carbolines have been found to have potent anticancer, antibacterial, and specific receptor and cytokine binding activities, but are challenging to synthesize. We are working on new synthetic routes which will enable proper structure-activity correlations to identify new lead compounds for medicinal use.
Chemistry of ageing
In collaboration with University College London and Kingston University, we are examining the effects of environmental and genetic modifications on age-related changes in the chemical composition of fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, with a particular focus on Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). The SPARC funded project is the first concerted attempt to analyze the molecular changes that occur in flies as they age and has the potential to provide important new insights into the processes involved in human ageing.
