Synthesis and evaluation of Resveratrol derivatives

This work has been ongoing since 2010.

• Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Kazakhstan Identification of small molecules capable of removing ageing cells and slowing down the ageing process (£654,000, 2012-14) Collaboration with Universities of Oxford, Cardiff and Nazarbayev.
• University of Brighton PhD Scholarship Does Sirt1 or cytostasis underlie the anti-ageing activity of stilbenes? (Vishal Birar, 2012-15)

Our primary goal is to enable ready access to diverse resveratrol analogues termed 'Resveralogues', such that a programme of bioevaluation spanning multiple collaborators and potential applications can be undertaken. One key outcome of this is to determine the specific structural features required in Resveralogues to reduce selectively the inflammatory effects (Senescence Associated Secretory Phenotype or SASP) of senescent cells in vivo.

We have developed a high yielding one-pot synthesis of the key synthetic step, and used this and specific functional group modifications to synthesise a range (>45 to date) of novel Resveralogues. This panel is now being used to determine the chemical features underlying the (detrimental and beneficial) activities of stilbene molecules, so that future Resveralogues can be designed to maximise desired effects.

This project has the potential to give rise to a lead candidate for intervention in the deleterious processes of human ageing.