Fields of Research

Organic chemical synthesis
Natural products and bioactive compounds
Pharmaceutical sciences
Plant physiology
Organic chemistry
Separation science
Transition metal chemistry
Physical organic chemistry
Other chemical sciences
Biologically active molecules
Free radical chemistry
Structural biology (incl. macromolecular modelling)
Catalysis and mechanisms of reactions
Medical bacteriology
Plant developmental and reproductive biology
Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry
Neurology and neuromuscular diseases
Organometallic chemistry
Forest health and pathology
Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Oenology and viticulture
Algebra and number theory
Respiratory diseases
Basic pharmacology
Instrumental methods (excl. immunological and bioassay methods)
Genomics
Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine
Tree nutrition and physiology
Ophthalmology
Infectious diseases
Horticultural crop protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds)
Invertebrate biology
Computational chemistry
Aquaculture
Analytical chemistry
Horticultural crop growth and development
Medical virology
Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Medical biotechnology
Crop and pasture biochemistry and physiology
Food chemistry and food sensory science
Forestry biomass and bioproducts
Organic green chemistry
Electrochemistry
Wood processing
Food packaging, preservation and processing
Characterisation of biological macromolecules
F-block chemistry
Main group metal chemistry
Conservation and biodiversity
Bioassays
Analytical spectrometry
Plant cell and molecular biology
Soil physics

Research Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the chemical sciences
Clinical health
Human pharmaceutical products
Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences
Human pharmaceutical treatments
Hardwood plantations
Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences
Treatment of human diseases and conditions
Control of pests, diseases and exotic species in terrestrial environments
Other plant production and plant primary products
Environmentally sustainable plant production
Organic industrial chemicals (excl. resins, rubber and plastics)
Industrial chemicals and related products
Preventive medicine
Expanding knowledge in the biomedical and clinical sciences
Grain legumes
Grains and seeds
Paper products and pulp
Renewable energy
Rice
Other environmental management
Horticultural crops
Expanding knowledge in the health sciences
Industrial crops
Air
Wine grapes
Animal protection chemicals
Bakery products
Scientific instruments
Veterinary pharmaceutical treatments
Fisheries - aquaculture
Environmentally sustainable manufacturing activities
Reconstituted timber products
Processed fruit and vegetable products (incl. juices)
Wood products
Industrial instruments
Field grown vegetable crops
Fine chemicals
Diagnosis of human diseases and conditions
Environmentally sustainable mineral resource activities

Career Best Publications

A mechanistic study on the oxidation of hydrazides: application to the tuberculosis drug isoniazid; Chemical Communications
A new and high yielding synthesis of unstable pyrroles via a modified Clauson-Kaas reaction; Tetrahedron Letters
Controlled oxidation of pyrroles: synthesis of highly functionalized γ-lactams; Organic Letters
Knorr-Rabe partial reduction of pyrroles: Application to the synthesis of indolizidine alkaloids; Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry
Macroporous monolith supports for continuous flow capillary microreactors; Tetrahedron Letters
New method for the rapid extraction of natural products: efficient isolation of shikimic acid from star anise; Organic Letters
Practical isolation of polygodial from Tasmannia lanceolata: a viable scaffold for synthesis; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
Reassessing the role of N-Hydroxytryptamine in auxin biosynthesis; Plant Physiology
The regioselective synthesis of aryl pyrroles; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry

Research Publications

(RS)-2-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyran; Acta Crystallographica Section E
3-(Oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridin-2-yl)anilides as a novel class of potent inhibitors for the kinetoplastid Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent for human African trypanosomiasis; European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
ent-Labdane Diterpenoids from Dodonaea viscosa; Journal of Natural Products
N-tosyl-1,2,3-triazoles as scaffolds for morpholines: the total synthesis of (–)-chelonin A; Synlett
A chemoenzymatic synthesis of the styryllactone (+)-goniodiol; Royal Society of Chemistry, Perkin Transactions I
A compound-based approach to unraveling auxin biosynthesis in pea; The International Plant Growth Substances Association 19th Confernece
A General and Efficient Approach to the Proposed Structures of Frog Toxins: The 5-Alkylindolizidines; Natural Product Communications
A mechanistic study on the oxidation of hydrazides: application to the tuberculosis drug isoniazid; Chemical Communications
A mild one-pot method for the conversion of carboxylic acids into the corresponding weinreb amides; Synthetic Communications
A mutation affecting the synthesis of 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid; Plant Signalling & Behavior
A new and high yielding synthesis of unstable pyrroles via a modified Clauson-Kaas reaction; Tetrahedron Letters
Activity of natural and synthetic polygodial derivatives against Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes, trypomastigotes and epimastigotes; Natural Product Research
Acyl radical addition to benzene and related systems - a computational study; Tetrahedron
Acyl radical addition to pyridine: multiorbital interactions; Tetrahedron
Amide linked redox-active naphthoquinones for the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction; MedChemComm
Analysis of the enol–keto tautomers of indole-3-pyruvic acid; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Annulation of pyrrole: application to the synthesis of indolizidine alkaloids; Tetrahedron
Arbutin derivatives isolated from ancient proteaceae: potential phytochemical markers present in Bellendena, Cenarrhenes, and Persoonia Genera; Journal of Natural Products
Asperuloside enhances taste perception and prevents weight gain in high-fat fed mice; Frontiers in Endocrinology
Auxin Biosynthesis in Pea: Characterization of the Tryptamine Pathway; Plant Physiology
Auxin biosynthesis: are the indole-3-acetic acid and phenylacetic acid biosynthesis pathways mirror images?; Plant Physiology
Bioactivity profiles of cytoprotective short-chain quinones; Molecules
Biosynthesis of the halogenated auxin, 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid; Plant Physiology
Bitter melon protects against ER stress in LS174T colonic epithelial cells; BMC Alternative Medicine
Border between natural product and drug: comparison of the related benzoquinones idebenone and coenzyme Q₁₀; Redox Biology
Brønsted acid-mediated annulations of pyrroles featuring N-tethered α,β-unsaturated ketones and esters: total syntheses of (±)-tashiromine and (±)-indolizidine 209I; Tetrahedron
Capillary Microreactor Catalysis Utilising Solid Organic Macroporous Monolith Supports; IC07: Royal Australian Chemical Institute Conference of the Inorganic Division
Capstone laboratory experiment investigating key features of palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions; Journal of Chemical Education
Chapter 7: Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Chemistry of the synthetic strigolactone mimic GR24; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Chemoselective reduction of 2-acyl-N-sulfonylpyrroles: Synthesis of 3-pyrrolines and 2-alkylpyrroles; Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
Comparative in vitro toxicology of novel cytoprotective short-chain naphthoquinones; Pharmaceuticals
Complete stereocontrol in the synthesis of harmonine and novel analogues facilitated by a Grubbs Z-selective cross-metathesis catalysis; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Computational investigation into the mechanistic features of bromide-catalyzed alcohol oxidation by PhIO in water; Journal of Organic Chemistry
Controlled oxidation of pyrroles: synthesis of highly functionalized γ-lactams; Organic Letters
Convergent synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of (+/-)-B-norrhazinal; Journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Perkin Transactions I
Cow dung biomass smoke exposure increases adherence of respiratory pathogen nontypeable Haemophilus infuenzae to human bronchial epithelial cells; Exposure and Health
Development and applications of water-based extraction methods in natural products isolation chemistry; Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry
Development of a novel fluorescent tag O-2-[aminoethyl]fluorescein for the electrophoretic separation of oligosaccharides ; Analytica Chimica Acta
DFT-based comparison between mechanistic aspects of amine and alcohol oxidation mediated by IBX; Journal of Organic Chemistry
Discovery of Periodinane Oxy-Assisted (POA) oxidation mechanism in the IBX-Controlled oxidative dearomatization of pyrroles mediated by acetic acid; The Journal of Organic Chemistry
Distinct drimane chemotypes in Tasmanian Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata): Differences in the profiles of pungent leaf phytochemicals associated with altitudinal cline; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Employing pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) to explore natural products chemistry in the undergraduate laboratory; Journal of Visualized Experiments
Exploiting multiple nucleophilic sites on pyrrole for the assembly of polyheterocyclic frameworks: application to a formal total synthesis of (+/-)-aspidospermidine; Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkins Transactions I
Exploring cyclization strategies to access stemona alkaloids: subtle effects influencing reactivity in intramolecular Michael additions; Organic Letters
Extraction of carboxylic acid-containing diterpenoids from Dodonaea viscosa via pressurised hot water extraction; Fitoterapia
Extraction of Eugenol from Cloves Using an Unmodified Household Espresso Machine: An Alternative to Traditional Steam-Distillation; Journal of Chemical Education
How a bismuth(III) catalyst achieves greatest activation of organic Lewis bases in a catalytic reaction: insights from DFT calculations; ChemCatChem
Hydrogen/deuterium exchange on aromatic rings during atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry ; Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry
Identification of the putative aggregation pheromone components emitted by the European earwig, Forficula auricularia; Chemoecology
Identification, Synthesis and Field Testing of (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-Henicosatriene, a Second Bioactive Component of the Sex Pheromone of the Autumn Gum Moth, Mnesampela privata; Journal of Chemical Ecology
Isolation and characterization of 1β-Acetoxypolygodial from Tasmannia Lanceolata; Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry
Knorr-Rabe partial reduction of pyrroles: Application to the synthesis of indolizidine alkaloids; Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry
Macroporous monolith supports for continuous flow capillary microreactors; Tetrahedron Letters
Mechanistic investigation of the oxidation of hydrazides: implications for the activation of the TB drug isoniazid; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
Methods for the synthesis of annulated pyrroles via cyclisation strategies; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
Methyl 4-chloro-3,5-di-p-tolyl-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylate dichloromethane hemisolvate; Acta Crystallographica Section E
Methyl 4-p-tolyl-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylate; Acta Crystallographica Section E
Microfluidic devices for flow-through supported palladium catalysis on porous organic monolith; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Miniaturising Metal Catalysis at the Micrometre Level in Capillaries and Glass Chips; IC08: Royal Australian Chemical Institute Conference of the Inorganic Division
Miniaturising organic monolith supported metal catalysis at the sub-micrometre level in capillaries and glass chip; 4th EuCheMS Conference on Nitrogen Ligands in Coordination Chemistry, Metal-Organic Chemistry, Bioinorganic Chemistry and Homogeneous Catalysis
Natural products isolated from endemic Tasmanian vascular plants; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Natural products isolation studies of native Australian fern species; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Natural products isolation studies of the paleoendemic plant species Nothofagus gunnii and Nothofagus cunninghamii; Fitoterapia
New method for the rapid extraction of natural products: efficient isolation of shikimic acid from star anise; Organic Letters
Novel polygodial analogs P3 and P27: Efficacious therapeutic agents disrupting mitochondrial function in oral squamous cell carcinoma; International Journal of Oncology
Novel short-chain quinones to treat vision loss in a rat model of diabetic retinopathy; International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Nuances in fundamental Suzuki−Miyaura cross-couplings employing [Pd(PPh₃)₄]: poor reactivity of aryl Iodides at lower temperatures; Organometallics
Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution of Acyl Diimides; Journal of Organic Chemistry
Oranges, lemons and limonene: addressing surprisingly persistent and enduring myths
Palladium-Catalysed Cross-Coupling and Related Reactions Involving Pyrroles; European Journal of Organic Chemistry
Palladium-mediated organic synthesis using porous polymer monolith formed in situ as a continuous catalyst support structure for application in microfluidic devices; Tetrahedron
Phytochemical profile of the rare, ancient clone Lomatia tasmanica and comparison to other endemic Tasmanian species L. tinctoria and L. polymorpha; Phytochemistry
Polygodial and ophiobolin A analogues for covalent crosslinking of anticancer targets; International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Polygodial: a viable natural product scaffold for the rapid synthesis of novel polycyclic pyrrole and pyrrolidine derivatives; Tetrahedron
Practical Isolation of Asperuloside from Coprosma quadrifida via Rapid Pressurised Hot Water Extraction; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Practical isolation of polygodial from Tasmannia lanceolata: a viable scaffold for synthesis; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
Pressurized hot water extraction and capillary electrophoresis for green and fast analysis of useful metabolites in plants; Molecules
Pressurized hot water extraction as a viable bioprospecting tool: isolation of coumarin natural products from previously unexamined Correa (Rutaceae) species; ChemistrySelect
Progress in the development of Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor (PAFr) antagonists and applications in the treatment of inflammatory diseases; ChemMedChem
Radical scavenging activity and metabolomic profiling study of ylang-ylang essential oils based on high-performance thin-layer chromatography and multivariate statistical analysis; Journal of Chromatography B
Reassessing the role of N-Hydroxytryptamine in auxin biosynthesis; Plant Physiology
Revised structures of dehydrostenines A and B: total syntheses of (±)-dehydrostenine A and structure assigned to dehydrostenine B; Chemistry: A European Journal
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Seven-Membered Rings; Progress in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Short-chain naphthoquinone protects against both acute and spontaneous chronic murine colitis by alleviating inflammatory responses; Frontiers in Pharmacology
Siliquapyranone: a tannic acid Tetrahydropyran-2-one isolated from the leaves of carob (Ceratonia siliqua) by pressurised hot water extraction; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Strategies for the synthesis of Stemona alkaloids: an update; Natural Product Reports
Structural revision of parvistemoamide: informing biosynthetic proposals of Stemona alkaloids; Organic Letters
Supported Palladium Catalysis Using a Heteroleptic 2-Methylthiomethylpyridine -N,S- Donor Motif for Mizoroki-Heck and Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling, Including Continuous Organic Monolith in Capillary Microscale Flow-Through Mode; Tetrahedron
Synthesis and phytotoxicity of structural analogues of thaxtomin natural products; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Synthesis of 4-phenylthieno[2,3-c]quinolines via Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings; ARKIVOC
Synthesis of heterocyclic-fused imidazoles by pyrolysis of N-heterocyclic isoxazol-5(2H)-ones; Australian Journal of Chemistry
Synthesis of nitrogen-substituted methylenecyclopropanes by strain-driven overman rearrangement of cyclopropenylmethyl trichloroacetimidates; The Journal of Organic Chemistry
Synthesis of pyrrolidine- and γ-lactam-containing natural products and related compounds from pyrrole scaffolds; Chemical Record
The Autumn Gum Moth sex pheromone - an elusive blend of alkatrienes; ANZSMS22
The oxidation of pyrrole; Chemistry - An Asian Journal
The regioselective synthesis of aryl pyrroles; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
The role of strigolactones during plant interactions with the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum; Planta
Total synthesis of (±)-rhazinal, an alkaloid spindle toxin from Kopsia teoi; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
Towards high capacity latex-coated porous polymer monoliths as ion-exchange stationary phases; Analyst
Unified total syntheses of (±)-sessilifoliamides B, C, and D; Organic Letters
UV initiated formation of polymer monoliths in glass and polymer microreactors; Sensors and Actuators B
Visible light dye-photosensitised oxidation of pyrroles using a simple LED photoreactor; Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry

Research Projects

2012: International Conference on Organic Synthesis (ICOS 19), ; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Acoustic liquid handling robotics for bioactive compound discovery; Australian Research Council (ARC)
Biomimetic Approach to the Synthesis of Alkaloids: Dinuclear Manganese Complexes as Mimics of Cytochrome P450 in Oxidative Phenolic Coupling; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Boosting research capability to develop value-added products for the food and wood industries in regional areas.; Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE)
Development of novel, host-directed antimalarial compounds; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
HDAC6 inhibition to rescue axon degeneration in ALS; FightMND (FMND)
Investigation into Synthetic Methods for the Synthesis of Biologically Active Molecules: Pyrrolidine and Proline Derivates; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
June 2011: International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre; Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DoIIS)
Microreactors for Organic Synthesis; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Neuroprotective function of novel short chain-quinones; Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
New Methods for the Template Mediated Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
New Synthetic Technology for the Synthesis of Biologically Important Compounds; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Pre-clinical toxicity assessment to select drug development candidates against mitochondrial dysfunction; National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation (NFMRI)
Synthesis of Standards for the Monitoring of Bioremediation of Hydrocarbon Fuels; Department of Environment and Energy (Cwth) (DoEE)
The Development of New Antibiotics Targeted Towards Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
The role of plant hormones in legume symbioses; Australian Research Council (ARC)
Beetle aggregation research
Chemical Reactivity of Opiates and Synthesis of New Opiate Derivatives
Chemika impurity characterisation - ICH guidelines
Developing sustainable biodegradable packaging from wood fibre and kelp polysaccharides
Extraction and analysis of Plant Material
Investigating the Chemical Properties of Alkaloid components
Isolation and synthesis of potential new therapeutic agents from Hemp (Cannabis sativa) and their biological evaluation
Scientific Opinion on Patent
Scientific opinion on Patent
Synthesis of Opiate Derivatives

Research Candidate Supervision

A Study of the Physical Chemistry of Acyl Radicals - Formation and Reactions
An Evaluation and Redevelopment of Current Laboratory Practices- An in Depth Study into the Differences Between Learning and Teaching Styles.
Biosynthesis of Chlorinated Auxin, A Key Plant Hormone
Chemical survey of Tasmanian land plants by Hot Pressurised Water Extraction (HPWE) targeting new molecular scaffolds for chemical modification for medicinal chemistry applications
New Synthetic Approaches to Indolizidine and Pyrrolidine Alkaloids
New Synthetic Approaches to Pyrrolidine Alkaloids
Oxazolopyridines towards the Treatment of Human African Sleeping Sickness
Oxidation of Pyrroles- Applications to the Sythesis of Biologically Active Molecules
Regioselective Modification of Pyrroles - Applications Towards Lamellarins & Pyrrolidine Analogues
Secondary Metabolites from Tasmanian Plants
Studies on the Synthesis of Biologically Active, Small Molecule Natural Products
Study of the biosynthesis and activity of auxins
Synthesis of New Derivatives Targeting Mitochondrial Disease
The Biosynthesis of Two Naturally-occurring Auxins in Pisum sativum L.
The Design and Sythesis of New Stationary Phase Materials for Use in Separation Science