Dr Sianne Schwikkard, Dr A Kelly
Applications accepted all year round
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
About the Project
The emergence of antibiotic resistance is becoming an ever increasing challenge to the medical community. Chalcones have shown promise as potential new antimicrobial agents. Chalcones are naturally derived compounds, common in the plant kingdom, with a range of biological activities, including action against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria.1, 2, 3 Studies on the anti-cancer activity of chalcones and dihydrochalcones have shown promise against HL-60, MOLT-4, PC-3, HeLa, MCF-7 (breast cancer) and SK-N-MC (human neuroblastoma) cell lines.4, 5
Chalcones can be synthesised via the Claisen condensation from the corresponding phenols and benzaldehydes, allowing for a wide range of different structural motifs. In addition, the cyclisation of chalcones allows for the synthesis of flavonoids while the hydrogenation to dihydrochalcones, followed by cyclisation, allows for the synthesis of homoisoflavonoids. This provides for a wide range of closely related compounds for biological assessment.
This project would encompass both the synthesis and characterisation of chalcones, dihydrochalcones, flavonoids and homoisoflavonoids as well as the evaluation of these compounds as potential antimicrobial agents. It would allow for the development of a wide range of skills, including organic synthesis, the use of spectroscopic techniques and chromatography to characterise the compounds produced and the skills needed to carry out the bioassays. The work would be carried out in the School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry at Kingston University allowing for a broad exposure to different techniques from different disciplines.
Funding Notes
There is no funding for this project: applications can only be considered from self-funded students
References
1. Kucerova-Chlupacova, M. et al. Molecules 2016, 21: 1421-1436
2. Moodley, T. et al. Magn. Reson. Chem. 2016, 54: 610-617
3. Burmaoglu, S. et al. Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry 2017, 32(1): 490-495
4. Ketabforoosh, S.H.M.E, et al. Arch. Pharm. Life Sci. 2014, 347:853-860
5. Sharma, P. et al. Med Chem Res 2013, 22: 3969-3983