University of Otago, Department of Chemistry
Plant & Food Research Dunedin news
The Plant & Food Research (PFR) natural products group within the Chemistry Department of University of Otago (currently Nigel Perry, John van Klink, Catherine Sansom and Josh Bristowe) has seen thesis completions of three graduate students in 2024. All worked with kaitiaki (guardians) of traditional knowledge on bioactive natural products.
Dr Sekotilani Aloi
Lani graduated PhD in August 2024 for her thesis on, “Natural products chemistry of Samoan medicinal plants”, supervised by Nigel Perry and Dave Larsen. She worked on medicinal plants selected with a Samoan taulāsea (traditional healer) and checked for already known compounds (dereplication) using tandem mass spectrometry coupled with upstream liquid chromatography (LC-MS/MS).
Dr Aloi is now back in Samoa, working as research manager for Women in Business Development Inc. She is aiming to continue her collaboration with the Department of Chemistry and with Plant & Food Research.
Dr Ioan Fuller
Ioan successfully passed his oral examination in August 2024 for his thesis on, “Kaimoana chemistry: lipidomic analysis of some edible shellfish species from Aotearoa New Zealand”, supervised by Nigel Perry, Chris Hepburn (Marine Science University of Otago) and Daniel Killeen (PFR Nelson). He worked on the previously unexplored lipids, especially the beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids, in molluscs that are part of the diet of local Māori. These were selected (and collected) by Brendan Flack of Kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki, Kāi Tahu based at Karitane just north of Ōtepoti Dunedin (note the Southern spelling, Kāi Tahu versus Ngāi Tahu, etc.).
Dr Fuller is now in the USA with his American wife (married as a break from thesis writing), seeking a green card and employment.
Liam Hewson
Also in August 2024 (a busy month!), Liam was awarded his MSc for his thesis, “Bioactive natural products chemistry of kanuka”. He discovered bioactive hybrid triketone compounds, working with Puketeraki, Ngāti Porou (Tairawhiti/East Cape) and Te Whanau Moana Merita of Ngāti Kahu (in the Far North).
Liam is going to do more work on developing kānuka chemistry for community health treatments working with these Māori partners and PFR funding, while deciding on a PhD project location.
Nigel Perry is looking for more graduate students to take on similar exciting projects on bioactives from taonga (treasured) species with Māori and Samoan collaborators! Contact him at: nigel.perry@plantandfood.co.nz
Gamble Group
Associate Professor Allan Gamble and Dr Jess Fairhall (Otago) received a Marsden Fund Standard Grant to develop “click-to-trap” chemistry for drug conjugation strategies, such as antibody-drug conjugates. This new bioorthogonal reaction will be mild and compatible with antibodies and will enable access to linkers previously inaccessible by traditional synthetic methods. The team will design linkers that are stable in systemic circulation and release drug in response to a cancer-associated trigger.
Gordon Group
Papers accepted
Well done to Mitchell Chalmers and Dr Jeremy Rooney for their recently accepted manuscripts:
- Discriminating Model Microcalcifications Immersed and Under Varying Depths of Wax Using Deep Low-Frequency Raman Spectroscopy in Applied Spectroscopy Practica.
- Improving Inference of Biochemical Composition in Marine Biomass via Genetic Algorithm-Based Feature Selection on Raman Spectroscopic Data in Congress on Evolutionary Computation.
New and graduating students
Welcome Anam Zulfiqar and Yasmin Gaade to the group!
Congratulations to Sam McCullough for completing his BSc(Hons). Best of luck for your future endeavours!
Travelling, events and meeting people
Keith Gordon flew to London for the editorial board meeting of PCCP and to the United States for the SciX meeting in Rayleigh, North Carolina. Keith gave an invited talk on, “Low frequency Raman spectroscopy: probing order in solid state materials.
Mitchell Chalmers flew to Australia to attend the Engineering and Physical Sciences in Medicine (EPSM) conference, the Conference on Optics, Atoms, and Laser Applications (KOALA) and the Australian and New Zealand Conference on Optics and Photonics (ANZCOP). While in Australia, he also visited Dr Sara Fraser-Miller in Flinders University, Adelaide to conduct interesting experiments!
Yasmin, Anam, Khansa and Peter attended the Dodd-Walls Centre event, “The Power of Networking – Let Us Enlighten You", where they happened to bump into Dr Jonathan Barnsley.
Jervee participated in the Riddet Institute Student Colloquium 2024 held 27-29 August 2024 at Massey University. She delivered a concise 3-minute presentation on her research findings. She had the opportunity to meet Dr Fatema Ahmmed.
Elkhansa Elbashier received the Most Valuable Person award during the University of Otago Muslim University Student Association (MUSA) Sisters camp. Wonderful job!
Elkhansa Elbashier attended the MacDiarmid Emerging Scientists Association (MESA) Bootcamp 2024 and had the opportunity to meet with other MESA members from other Universities!
Jervee attended the 2024 AI in Higher Education Symposium in Dunedin on 4 September 2024. She engaged in a group discussion concerning the proper utilisation of AI and its implications for assessment.
Keith, Khansa, Yasmin, Anam, Peter and Jervee attended the Dodd Walls Centre (DWC) Symposium 2024 in Christchurch where Peter, Khansa and Jervee gave talks.
Samuel Harris attended the MacDiarmid Symposium 2024 in Wellington.
Green Group
We welcomed new PhD student Le Mi to the group in October 2024, who finished his MChem at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Congratulations to Sasha Tanner, who finished her BSc(Hons) program working on the total synthesis of a marine natural product, and won the Joseph & Emma Mellor Prize for her work.
NZIC Otago branch quiz
On 20 August 2024 the Otago branch co-organised a quiz night with the University of Otago Chemistry Students Association. It was a great success with around 90 participants from CHEM undergraduate papers and postgraduates from several departments around the university. Dave McMorran expertly steered the evening as the quiz master, helped by Andrea Vernall, Thomi Brind and several students (Callista, Jake, Amelia, Thomas, Maddy) from the Chemistry Students Association. There were question rounds on general chemistry, nature, back to school, olympics, geology, a picture round and a structural elucidation throughout the night with sequential clues. First place went to ‘Green group Girlies et al’, second place to ‘The Mellor Felons’ and third place to ‘Gold, Titanium, Samarium.’ Best team name was awarded to ‘Flask and Furious’ with other popular team names including ‘We’re on a cholesteROLL’ and ‘The Atoms Family.’
