Dr. Helen Sheridan
Associate Professor, Pharmacy
Biography
Helen Sheridan B. Sc (UCD), PhD (UCD), is Professor in Pharmacognosy and former Director of Research at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SoPPS) at TCD. She is the academic founder and director of the TCD centre for natural product research, NatPro. She is a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Society of Chemistry; a recipient of the TCD Provost's award for teaching excellence and a recipient of the TCD Innovation Award for 'Societal Impact'. Helen has 96 publications including 7 international patents. She has graduated 33 PhD/ MSc students, and mentored 24 postdoctoral researchers. She has sixteen researchers in her group. She was awarded 19 million in grant income from national and international sources. Helen's collaborative and interdisciplinary research is in Natural Product (NP) chemistry; Traditional Medicine (TM); ethnopharmacology; global health and bioeconomy. Her research focusses on finding new therapies for disease and addressing global issues that may be resolved using NP approaches. During her career she identified a lead molecule from TM which her team advanced from discovery to human clinical trials. Helen co-founded the TCD Campus company, Trino Therapeutics Ltd, where she was co-PI on funding of approximately 13 million. She was also co-applicant on seven patents in the US, EU and Asia. In later years Helen has become involved in global ethnopharmacology, investigating quality, safety and efficacy of TMs, and the link between the established use of TM and its role in international development. She has supervised 5 research projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Helen was recently awarded 6M to direct a project entitled "Unlocking Nature's Pharmacy from Bogland Species" focused on the therapeutic and economic potential of the Irish bog land plants, from scientific and educational perspectives. She is a collaborator on a further successful 3.5m award to be announced Feb 2022. Helen is the Phytochemical expert to the Irish Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA). She is on the Board of the International Natural Product Sciences taskforce (INPST); was elected to the Board of the GP-TCM Research Association; and most recently was appointed by the Cross-Government Bioeconomy Implementation Group (BIG) to the Expert Advisory Group, as the expert in NP science, to support the National Bioeconomy Forum. Helen holds a TCD award for excellence in teaching. She has taught at all levels across the SoPPS curriculum and has contributed to courses across faculties. Her teaching is research led, maps frontier developments, is informed by government policy and international regulation, and is aligned with global development goals. Her course design and delivery involve synergy at the interfaces governing her discipline. She has recently been funded by the IRC 'New Foundations' scheme, to build educational and research collaborations between TCD, and Maseno University (Kenya). This project which involves bi-lateral travel, is on hold until the Covid situation has stabilised. Helen has held senior administrative positions in College, including Director of Research SoPPS (2016-9); Academic Disability Liaison Officer (2006-To date); positions in safety at school, faculty and college level and is the faculty representative on the College Safety Committee. She was faculty representative on the Trinity International Development Initiative steering committee. Helen has acted as external examiner to the School of Pharmacy in UCL (2015-8); has examined at masters and PhD level nationally and globally; has acted as an international grant reviewer on several programmes. Helen is engaged in outreach with a range of stakeholders. Most recently she and her group have launched a national programme for Transition Year students looking at biodiversity and scientific potential of bogland ecosystems. Helen hopes her research, teaching, and outreach will make a difference to society.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Junying Liu, Shouli Yuan, Yao Yao, Jinfan Wang, Gaia Scalabrino, Shibo Jiang, and Helen Sheridan, Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Elucidate the Underlying Pharmacological Mechanisms of the Herb Houttuynia cordata in Treating Pneumonia Caused by SARS-CoV-2, Viruses, 14(7)), (7), 2022, p1588 - 1608
Jinfan Wang, Elaine Dempsey, Sinéad Cristin Corr, Wirginia Kukula-Koch, Astrid Sasse Helen Sheridan, he Traditional Chinese Medicine Houttuynia cordata Thunb decoction alters intestinal barrier function via an EGFR dependent MAPK (ERK1/2) signalling pathway on July 26, 2022., Phytomedicine, 2022
Guilherme Venâncio Símaro, Marivane Lemos, Jonas Joaquim Mangabeira da Silva, Wilson Roberto Cunha, Luiza Junqueira Carneiro, Sérgio Ricardo Ambrósio, Nayanne Larissa Cunha, Sérgio Faloni de Andrade, Caroline Arruda, Vilmar C Banderó-Filho, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan, Jairo Kenupp Bastos, Márcio Luis Andrade e Silva, In vivo study of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Copaifera pubiflora Benth oleoresin, Natural Product Research, 36, (4), 2022, p1129 - 1133
Carissa spinarum L.: A Case Study in Ethnobotany and Bioprospecting Research in, editor(s)Dr. Sanjeet Kumar , Medicinal Plants, Intech Open, 2022, pp1 - 58, [Ciara Smyth and Helen Sheridan]
Bahare Salehi, Natália Cruz-Martins, Monica Butnariu, Ioan Sarac, Iulia-Cristina Bagiu, Shahira M. Ezzat, Jinfan Wang, Aaron Koay, Helen Sheridan, Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji, Prabhakar Semwal, Mauricio Schoebitz, Miquel Martorell & Javad Sharifi-Rad, Hesperetin's health potential: moving from preclinical to clinical evidence and bioavailability issues, to upcoming strategies to overcome current limitations, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2021
N.W. Muyumba a, c , S.C. Mutombo , H Sheridan , A. Nachtergael , P. Duex, Quality control of herbal drugs and preparations: The methods of analysis, their relevance and applications, Talanta Open, 2021
Guilherme Venâncio Símaro, Marivane Lemos [ ..], Helen Sheridan, Márcio Luis Andrade e Silva, Jairo Kenupp Bastos., Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Copaifera pubiflora Benth oleoresin and its major metabolite ent-hardwickiic acid, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2021
Cillian Gately, Isa Woulfe, Gaia Scalabrino and Helen Sheridan. , Unlocking Nature's Pharmacy from Bogland Species. , Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
O'Connell, P, Kelly J , Turner J , Woulfe , Pigott , Sheridan H. , Unlocking Nature's Pharmacy - Assessing the Quality of Irish Echinacea plant species. , Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Atanas G. Atanasov , Helen Sheridan, Elisabeth Klager, Fabian Eibensteiner, Sabine Völkl-Kernstock, Maria Kletecka-Pulker, Harald Willschke, Eva Schaden, Open innovation in medical and pharmaceutical research: A literature landscape analysis, Frontiers in Pharmacology-Ethnopharmacology, 2021, p587526-
Smyth C, Sheridan H. , Carissa spinarum L. (Apocynaceae): a case study in ethnomedical research. , Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
Atanasov, A.G., Zotchev, Sheridan, H [...], S.B., Dirsch, V.M. et al. , Natural products in drug discovery: advances and opportunities, NATURE Reviews Drug Discovery, 2021, p1 - 17
Junying Liu, Ismael Obaidi, Shipra Nagar, Gaia Scalabrino, Helen Sheridan , The antiviral potential of algal-derived macromolecules, Current Research in Biotechnology, 2021
Helen Sheridan, Unlocking Nature's Pharmacy - from plant to product: An academic odyssey, Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
Shipra Nagar, Shilong Chen, Isa Woulfe, Michael Carty, Obdabi I, Manuel Ruether, Peter O'Connell, Young Choi, Helen Sheridan, Unlocking Nature's Pharmacy - the story of an Irish Bog Lichen. , Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
Javad Sharifi-Rad, Elen Cristina Quispe Chávez, Mukazhanova Zhazira, Ewa Knut, Aknur Turgumbayeva, Aliya Kipchakbayeva, Gulnaz Seitimova, Fawzi Mohamad Mahomoodally, Devina Lobine, Aaron Koay, Jinfan Wang, Helen Sheridan, Gerardo Leyva-Gómez, Maria Luisa Del Prado, Hernan Cortes, Antonio Rescigno, Paolo Zucca, Oksana Sytar, Muhammad Imran, Célia F. Rodrigues, Natália Cruz-Martins, Halina Ekiert, Manoj Kumar, AHMAD FAIZAL ABDULL RAZIS, Usman Sunusi, Ramla Muhammad Kamal, Agnieszka Szopa , Resveratrol as an anti-cancer agent: Its nano-formulations as an emerging cancer therapy , Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences,, 2021, p1-71
Amy F. Walsh, Antonia Dunbar, Helen Sheridan, Mark O. Cunningham, Examination of the effect of cannabis derived terpenes on acute seizure activity in rodent brain slices. , Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
Jinfan Wang, Sinead Cristin Corr, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan, Scientific evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Houttuynia cordata Thunb (Yu xing cao鱼腥草): A Case Study, Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
Eoin Ó Briain, Robbie Kelleher, Jamie Rice, Helen Sheridan. , Medicinal plants and natural product research on Traditional Medicines , Planta Medica, 69th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), Bonn. FRG, September 6-8th, edited by Thieme , 2021
Guilherme Venâncio Símaro, Marivane Lemos, Jonas Joaquim Mangabeira da Silva, Wilson Roberto Cunha, Luiza Junqueira Carneiro, Sérgio Ricardo Ambrósio, Nayanne Larissa Cunha, Sérgio Faloni de Andrade, Caroline Arruda, Vilmar C Banderó-Filho, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan, Jairo Kenupp Bastos, Márcio Luis Andrade e Silva, In vivo study of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Copaifera pubiflora Benth oleoresin, Natural Product Research, 2020, p1 - 13
Kit Chan, Neil Frankish, Tao Zhang, Abdulilah Ece, Aoife Cannon, Jacintha O'Sullivan, Helen Sheridan, Bioactive Indanes: Insight into the bioactivity of indane dimers related to the lead anti-inflammatory molecule PH46A, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2020
Aaron Koay, Fiona Shannon McLoone, Astrid Sasse, Michael Heinrich and Helen Sheridan, Exploring the Irish National Folklore ethnography database (Duchas.ie) for open data research on Traditional Medicine use in post-famine Ireland. An early example of Citizen Science, Frontiers in Pharmacology-Ethnopharmacology, 2020
CM Fallon, O Edupuganti, NK Lajczak-McGinley, H Sheridan, SJ Keely , Neutraceutical Targeting of the Bile Acid Receptor, Farnesoid X Receptor, for Intestinal Disease., The FASEB Journal , 34 , ((S1),), 2020, p1-
Ingrid Hook and Helen Sheridan, Effects of (±)-dunnione and quinone-containing extracts from in vitro-cultured plantlets of Streptocarpus dunnii Hook. f. and a hybrid 'Ruby' on seed germination, South African Journal of Botany, 2020
Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Ilkay Erdogan Orhan, Bharat Bhushan Aggarwal, Maurizio Battino .Helen Sheridan .Atanas G. Atanasov. , Berberine, a popular dietary supplement for human and animal health: Quantitative research literature analysis - a review. , Animal Science Papers and Reports , 38, (1), 2020, p5-19-
Fatiha Brahmi, Anh Tho Nguyen, Aminata P. Nacoulma,Helen Sheridan, Jinfan Wang, Naïma Guendouze, Khodir Madani,Pierre Duez, Discrimination of Mentha species grown in different geographical areas of Algeria using 1H-NMR-based metabolomics, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 2020
Scalabrino, G., Zhang, T., Frankish NH, Sheridan H, Bioactive Indanes: Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS bioanalytical method for the determination of PH46A, a new potential anti-inflammatory agent, in dog and rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study in dog. , Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 170, (113011), 2020, p1 - 10
Marivane Lemos, Jonas Joaquim Mangabeira da Silva, Cristiane Teixeira Vilhena Bernardes, Mariza Abreu Miranda, Hervé Louis Ghislain Rogez, Rodrigo Cássio Sola Veneziani, Sérgio Ricardo Ambrósio, Sérgio Faloni de Andrade, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan, Jairo Kenupp Bastos, ATIVIDADE ANTIMICROBIANA IN VITRO E IN VIVO FRENTE À HELICOBACTER PYLORI DE EXTRATO DAS FOLHAS DE COPAIFERA OBLONGIFOLIA MART. EX HAYNE, Extensão em Foco, 6, (1), 2019, p1 - 8
Traditional-chinese-medicine-from-aqueous-extracts-to-therapeutic-formulae in, editor(s)Aman Dekebo ed. , Plant Extracts, london UK, IntechOpen, 2019, pp1-30 , [JinFan Wang, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan]
Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Bharat Bhushan Aggarwal, Helen Sheridan, Atanas G. Atanasov et al, Resveratrol, a popular dietary supplement for human and animal health: Quantitative research literature analysis - a review, Animal Science Papers and Reports , 37 , (2), 2019, p103 - 118
Cumming, Graham; Zhang, Tao; Scalabrino, Gaia; Frankish, Neil; Sheridan, Helen, Investigation of the Stereoselective Synthesis of the Indane Dimer PH46A, a New Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agent , Organic Process Research & Development, 2018, p1972-1979
Zhang, T. and Scalabrino, G. and Frankish, N. and Sheridan, H., Bioactive indanes: Proof of concept study for enantioselective synthetic routes to ph46a, a new potential anti-inflammatory agent, Molecules, 23, (7), 2018, p1503-
Frankish, N.H. and McHale, B. and Sheridan, H., The indane diastereoisomers, PH2 and PH5: divergence between their effects in delayed-type hypersensitivity models and a model of colitis, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 70, (1), 2018, p101-110
Tao Zhang, Neil Frankish, Gaia Scalabrino and Helen Sheridan, Bioactive Indanes: Comparative in vitro Metabolism Study of PH46A, a New Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agent and Biosynthesis of its Primary Metabolite PH132 , Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9, (2), 2018, p1 - 14
Hook I, Sheridan, H, Reid C, Trichomes and naphthoquinones protect Streptocarpus dunnii Hook.f. against environmental stresses, South African Journal of Botany , Volume 119, 2018, p193 - 202
Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Bharat Bhushan Aggarwal, Helen Sheridan et al., Dietary natural products and their potential to influence health and disease including animal model studies - a review, Animal Science Papers and Reports, 36, (4), 2018, p345-358
Imran Nazir, Nisar ur Rahman, Zunaira Alvi, M. Hafizur Rahman, Jandirk Sendker, Tao Zhang, Neil Frankish, Helen Sheridan, Antidiabetic Activities of an LC/MS Fingerprinted Aqueous Extract of Fagonia cretica L. in Preclinical Models*, Planta Medica, 83, 2017, p1-9
History and current status of Herbal Medicines' in, editor(s): Heikki Vuorela, Pia Maarit Vuorela, and Olavi Pelkonen. , Toxicology of Herbal Products, Springer Science and Business Media, 2017, [2. Sendker J and Sheridan H: ]
Neil Frankish and helen Sheridan, 'Compounds for use in the treatment of inflammatory Bowel Disease', USP, 9,586,885 B2, 2017, Venantius Ltd.
Erick Motta, Marivane Lemos, Juliana C Costa, PhD. Vilmar C Banderó-Filho.; Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan, Jairo K Bastos, , Galloylquinic acid derivatives from Copaifera langsdorffii leaves display gastroprotective activity, Chemico-Biological Interactions, 261, 2017, p145 - 155
Composition and quality control of herbal medicines in, editor(s)Heikki Vuorela, Pia Maarit Vuorela, and Olavi Pelkonen , Toxicology of Herbal Products', Springer Science & Business Media. , 2017, [3. Sendker J and Sheridan H]
Fiona Shannon, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan and Michael Heinrich , Are identities oral? Understanding ethnobotanical knowledge after Irish independence (1937-1939), Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 13, 2017, p65-
Frankish N, Sheridan H , 'Compounds for use in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory disease;.', European patent office, 2864279 B1, 2016, Venantius Ltd.
Kerstin Rieger, Rochelle H Holm, Helen Sheridan, Access to groundwater and link to the impact on quality of life: A look at the past, present and future public health needs in Mzimba District, Malawi, Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 2016, p117-129
Helen Sheridan, Brigitte Kopp, Liselotte Krenn, Dean Guo, Jandirk Sendker, Traditional Chinese herbal medicine preparation: invoking the butterfly effect, SCIENCE, 350, (6262), 2015, pS64-S66
N Frankish, H Sheridan -, 'Compounds for use in the Treatment of Autoimmune Inflammatory Disease', USPTO, 20,150,141,523,, 2015, Trino Therapeutics Ltd.
Zhang, T., Paluch, K., Scalabrino, G., (...), Healy, A.-M., Sheridan, H. , Molecular structure studies of (1S,2S)-2-benzyl-2,3-dihydro-2-(1H-inden-2-yl)-1H-inden-1-ol, Journal of Molecular Structure, 1083, 2015, p286-299
Lemos M, Silva JJM, Rogez HLG, Veneziani RCS, Ambrósio SR, Bastos JK, Banderó VC, Sasse A, Sheridan H, , Cytotoxic and apoptogenic properties of C. oblongifolia Mart. ex Hayne and C. duckei Dwyer oleoresin and leaf extract on human gastric carcinoma cells., Brazilian Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (SBFTE), Águas de Lindóia, São Paulo, Brazil, , September 28 to Octo, edited by Conference Committee , 2015
Bioactive naphthoquinones from higher plants. in, editor(s)Atta-ur-Rahman , Studies in Natural Products Chemistry. Volume 41, Elsevier B.V, 2014, pp119 - 160, [Hook, I., Mills, C and Sheridan H]
Fatiha Brahmi, Naïma Guendouze, Helen Sheridan, Caroline Stevigny et al., Metabolic Classification Of Mentha Species By Nmr-Based Metabolomics, Journées internationales AFERP & STOLON , Bruxelles , 22-24 Mai 2013, 2013
Sheridan, Helen; (IE). Frankish, Neil; (IE), 'indane Dimers for use in the Treatment of Autoimmune Inflammatory Disease', O'BRIEN, John, A, WO/2013/014660 , 2013, VENANTIUS LIMITED
Astrid Sasse, Fabio Boylan and Helen Sheridan, Holistic Approaches to Health Maintenance in the B.Sc. Pharmacy. , 14th Biennial CSSI Conference. Mind, Body, Spirit - the holistic approach to the student experience, Dundalk. ireland, June 19-20 2013, 2013
Helen Sheridan and Neil frankish, Venantius Ltd., Indane dimers for use in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory disease, 2013, WO 2013/014660 A1
Chan K , Banderό V, Frankish N, Sheridan H . , . Inflammation, Cancer And 15- Lipoxygenase-1 - How Hot Is The Link? , London BioNat. , University of East London , March 12th 2013., 2013
Neil Frankish and Helen Sheridan, 'Indane Dimers for Use in The Treatment Of Autoimmune Inflammatory Disease', US, WO2013174916, 2013, Venantius Ltd
Tao Zhang, Vilmar Bandero, Tom McCabe, Neil Frankish and Helen Sheridan, 2-(Diphenylmethylidene)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one, Acta Cryst. Section E, E69, 2013, po1306 - o1307
Frankish N. and Sheridan H, 6-(Methylamino)hexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentanol 4-(((1S,2S)-1-Hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H,1'H-[2,2-biinden]-2-yl)methyl)benzoate (PH46A): A Novel Small Molecule With Efficacy In Murine Models Of Colitis, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 55, 2012, p5497 - 5505
Frampton C. S., Zhang T., Scalabrino G. A., Frankish N. and Sheridan H., (1S)-1-Phenyl ethanaminium 4-{[(1S,2S)-1-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H,1′H-[2,2′-biinden]-2-yl] methyl} benzoate,, Acta Crystallographica. Section C, 2012, po323 - o326.
Ta o Zha ng , Tom McCabe , Bartosz Marzec, Neil Frankish and Helen, N -Cyclopentyl- N -(3-oxo-2,3-dihy dro-1 H -inden-1-yl)acetamid, Acta Crystallographica, E68, 2012, p958-
Helen Sheridan, Liselotte Krenn, Renwang Jiang, Ian Sutherland, Svetlana Ignatova, Andreas Marmann, Xinmiao Liang, Jandirk Sendker, The potential of metabolic fingerprinting as a tool for the modernisation of TCM preparations, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 140, (3), 2012, p482-491
Sheridan, H. , Nestor, C., O'Driscoll, L., Hook, I., Isolation, structure elucidation, and cytotoxic evaluation of furanonaphthoquinones from in vitro plantlets and cultures of Streptocarpus dunnii, Journal of Natural Products, 74, (1), 2011, p82 - 85
Jandirk Sendker, Andreas Marmann, Liselotte Krenn, Helen Sheridan, Ian Sutherland, Svetlana Ignatova, Peter Proksch, Monique Simmonds, Robert Verpoorte, Alberto Dias, Valérian Bunel, You-Ping Zhu, Comprehensive report on the methodology used in the analysis of 'priority list preparations': Deliverable 2.10 of WP2 (FP7 GP-TCM) to European Commission, EU COmmission Brussels, EU, October, 2011, 1-24
Sheridan H, Nestor C, O'Driscoll L, Hook I., Isolation, structure elucidation, and cytotoxic evaluation of furanonaphthoquinones from in vitro plantlets and cultures of Streptocarpus dunnii., J Nat Prod., 71, (1), 2011, p82 - 85
Frankish, N. de Sousa Menezes, F. Mills, C. Sheridan, H., Enhancement of insulin release from the beta-cell line INS-1 by an ethanolic extract of Bauhinia variegata and its major constituent roseoside, Planta Med, 76, (10), 2010, p995-7
Sheridan H, Walsh JJ, Cogan C, Jordan M, McCabe T, Passante E, Frankish NH, Diastereoisomers of 2-Benzyl-2, 3-dihydro-2-(1H-inden-2-yl)-1H-inden-1-ol: Potent anti-inflammatory agents, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 19, 2009, p5927 - 5930
H. Sheridan, N. H. Frankish, BRA 101, A Novel Small Molecule with Profound Efficacy In Murine DSS-Colitis, Gut, Gastro 2009, London, 21-25 November 2009, 58, (Suppl II), 2009, ppA454
Sheridan, H. Walsh, J. J. Jordan, M. Cogan, C. Frankish, N, A series of 1, 2-coupled indane dimers with mast cell stabilisation and smooth muscle relaxation properties, Eur J Med Chem, 44, (12), 2009, p5018-22
E Passante, C Ehrhardt, H Sheridan, N Frankish, RBL-2H3 cells are an imprecise model for mast cell mediator release, Inflamm Res, 58, (9), 2009, p611-618
Passante, E. Ehrhardt, C. Sheridan, H. Frankish, N., Toll-like receptors and RBL-2H3 mast cells, Inflamm Res, 58 , (Suppl 1), 2009, p11-2
H Sheridan, I Hook, J Coppins, C Nestor, C Ehrhardt, N Frankish, Inhibition of LFA-1 mediated T-cell motility by naphthoquinones, Planta Med, 74, (11), 2008, p1383-1387
Minker, C, Sheridan, H, O'Meara, J, Visdal Johnse, L, Hook, I, Lobstein, A, Frankish, N, In vivo and in vitro evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity of extracts of seven Plectranthus species, Planta Medica, 73, (09), 2007
J.Coppins, I. Hook, C. Nestor, H. Sheridan, N. Frankish, C. Ehrhardt., Inhibition of LFA-1 mediated T-cell motility by naphthoquinones, Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Winter meeting, Dublin City University, 2007, 2007
Fábio de Sousa Menezes, Andréa Barreto Mattos Minto, Halliny Siqueira Ruela, Ricardo Machado Kuster, Helen Sheridan, Neil Frankish, Hypoglycemic activity of two Brazilian Bauhinia species: Bauhiniaforfi cata L. and Bauhinia monandra Kurz., Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy, 17, ((1)), 2007, p8 - 13
A.L. Simplício, J.F. Gilmer, N. Frankish, H. Sheridan, J.J. Walsh and J.M. Clancy, Ionisation characteristics and elimination rates of some aminoindanones determined by capillary electrophoresis, Journal of Chromatography A, 1045, (1-2), 2004, p233 - 238
H.Sheridan, N. Frankish and R. Farrell, Investigation into the mast cell stabilizing activity of nature identical and synthetic indanones, J. Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 56, (11), 2004, p1423
Hook I, Ryan S, Sheridan H. , Biotransformation of aliphatic and aromatic ketones, including several monoterpenoid ketones and their derivatives by five species of marine microalgae, Phytochemistry, 63, (1), 2003, p31 - 36
H. Sheridan, Indane dimer compounds with smooth muscle relaxing and/or mast cell stabilising and/or anti-inflammatory activity, 2002, US6423752
H. Sheridan, Indane dimer compounds with smooth muscle relaxing and/or mast cell stabilizing and/or anti-inflammatory activity, 2002, US-09/092,903, EP-96942551
H. Sheridan, Indane dimer compounds and their pharmaceutical use; respiratory and anti-inflammatory, 2002, PCT/IE 96/00080. US-09/093,060, EP-96942550
H. Sheridan, Indane compounds and their pharmaceutical use, 2002, US6433021
H. Sheridan, Indane compounds with smooth muscle relaxing and/or mast cell stabilizing and/or anti-inflammatory activity, 2002, US-09/092.902, EP-96942552
Essential oil production by transformed roots of Leontopodium alpinum Cass in, editor(s)Y.P.S. Bajaj , Biotechnology in Agriculture and forestry, "Transgenic crops lll" vol 48, Springer Verlag, 2001, pp221 - 236, [I. Hook and H. Sheridan]
Transgenic Leontopodium (Edelweiss) in, Y.P.S. Bajaj , Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, Berlin, Heidelberg, Springer-Verlag, 2001, pp221-236. , [Hook I, Sheridan H.]
Comer, N., Grey, A.I., Hook, I.L., James, P., Sheridan, H., Erratum: Sesquiterpenes from Leontopodium alpinum (Phytochemistry (1999) 50 (1057-1060) PII: S0031942298006256) , 2000, - 551
Farrell, R., Frankish, N.H.., & Sheridan, H., Synthesis and antispasmodic activity of analogues of Natural pterosins, European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 34, 1999, p953 - 966
HOOK, IL, RYAN, S, SHERIDAN, H, BIOTRANSFORMATION OF AROMATIC ALDEHYDES BY FIVE SPECIES OF MARINE MICROALGAE, PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 51, 1999, p621 - 627
Hook I, Ryan S, Sheridan H. , Biotransformation of aromatic aldehydes by five species of marine microalgae, Phytochemistry, 51, (5), 1999, p621 - 627
Comey N, Grey A, Hook I, James P, Sheridan H. , Sesquiterpenes from Leontopodium alpinum., Phytochemistry, 50, (6), 1999, p1057 - 1060
SHERIDAN, H, CANNING, AM, NOVEL RADICINOL DERIVATIVES FROM LONG-TERM CULTURES OF ALTERNARIA CHRYSANTHEMI, JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS, 62, 1999, p1568 - 1569
SHERIDAN, H, FRANKISH, N, FARRELL, R, SMOOTH MUSCLE RELAXANT ACTIVITY OF PTEROSIN Z AND RELATED COMPOUNDS, PLANTA MEDICA, 65, 1999, 271 - 272
Comey N, Sheridan H, Hook I, Influence of inulin, culture medium and light on the growth and essential oil content of Edelweiss hairy roots., Proceedings of the 27th ISEO Meeting, 27th ISEO Meeting, Vienna, Allured Publishing Corporation, 1997, pp116-119
Comey N, Hook I, Sheridan H, Walsh J. , Isolation of (S)-(-)-2,3-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl - 4H-benzopyran-4-one from roots of Leontopodium alpinum, Journal Of Natural Products (Lloydia) , 60, (2), 1997, p148-149
Farrell, Ronan, Kelleher, Fintan, Sheridan, Helen, Synthesis of Fern Sesquiterpene Pterosin Z via a Novel Palladium-Catalyzed Route, Journal of Natural Products, 59, (4), 1996, p446-447
"Papaver bracteatum", Lindley (Giant Scarlet Poppy) In vitro production of benzophenanthridine alkaloids in, editor(s)Y.P.S. Bajaj , Biotechnology of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Part VII, Springer Verlag, 1994, pp346 - 365, [I. Hook, R. Lecky and H. Sheridan]
Papaver bracteatum Lindley (Giant Scarlet Poppy): In vitro production of benzophenanthridine alkaloids in, editor(s)Y.P.S. Bajaj , Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, Berl, Springer-Verlag, 1994, [Hook I. ]
Hook, I., & Comey, N. & Sheridan, H., Essential oil of Edelweiss, Leontopodium alpinum, 25th International Symposium on Essential Oils, Grasse., edited by Author Association des ingénieurs et techniciens de la parfumerie (France). , A.I.T.P./Prodarom,, 1994
H.Sheridan, A. M. Canning, I. Hook, P. James and D. Kelly, Bis-Radicinin: a novel dimer elicited in cultures of Alternaria chrysanthemi, J. Nat. Prod., 55, (4), 1992, p487
N. Comey, I. Hook and H. Sheridan, Enhancement of anthocyanin production in cell cultures and hairy roots of L. alpinum, Planta medica, 58, (1), 1992
Lecky R, Hook I, Sheridan H., Enhancement of dihydrosanguinarine production in suspension cultures of Papaver bracteatum, I Medium modifications, Journal Of Natural Products (Lloydia) , 55, (10), 1992, p1513 - 1517
Sheridan, Helen, Bhandari, Prabha, Cathin-6-one from the Root Bark ofPhellodendron chinense, Planta Medica, 58, (03), 1992, p299-299
H. Sheridan, A. M. Canning and P. James, Stereoselective reduction of radicinin by liquid cultures of Alterneria longipes, J. Nat. Prod., 55, (7), 1992, p986
H. Sheridan, R. Lecky and I. Hook, Enhancement of dihydrosanguinarine production by suspension cultures of Papaver bracteatum 1. Medium modification, J. Nat. Prod., 55, (10), 1992, p1513
Canning A-M, Hook I, Sheridan H. , Bisradicinin: a novel dimmer elicited in cultures of Alternaria chrysanthemi, Journal Of Natural Products (Lloydia) , 55, (4), 1992, p487 - 490.
Comey, N., Hook, I., Sheridan, H., Enhancement of anthocyanin production in cell cultures and hairy roots of Leontopodium alpinum , Planta Medica , 58, ((7 SUPPL.)), 1992, A605-A606
SHERIDAN, H, BHANDARI, P, CATHIN-6-ONE FROM THE ROOT BARK OF PHELLODENDRON-CHINENSE, PLANTA MEDICA, 58, 1992, 299 - 299
J. Baldwin, M. Bradley, N.Turner, R. Adlington, A. Pitt and H. Sheridan, α-L-_-Aminoadipoyl-L-cysteinyl-D-allylglycine, and eight deuterated analogues, substrates for the investigation of the mechanism of action of isopenicillin N synthetase, Tetrahedron, 47, (38), 1991, p8203 - 8222
I. Hook, G. Wilson and H.Sheridan, Volatile metabolites from suspension cultures of Taraxacum officinale, Phytochemistry, 30, (12), 1991, p3977
Hook I, Sheridan H, Wilson G., Volatile metabolites from suspension cultures of Taraxacum officinale, Phytochemistry , 30, (12), 1991, p3977 - 3979
Baldwin, Jack E., Bradley, Mark, Turner, Nicholas J., Adlington, Robert M., Pitt, Andrew R., Sheridan, Helen, Synthesis of "--"-aminoadipoyl--cysteinyl--allylglycine, and eight deuterated analogues, substrates for the investigation of the mechanism of action of isopenicillin n synthase., Tetrahedron, 47, (38), 1991, p8203-8222
Hook, I., Sheridan, H., Wilson, G., Volatile metabolites with 'apple' odour from suspension cultures of Taraxacum officinale , Planta Medica, 56, (6), 1990, p627-628
H Sheridan, S Lemon, N Frankish, P Mcardle, T Higgins, JP James, P Bhandari , Synthesis and Antispasmodic Activity of Nature Identical Substituted Indanes and Analogues, European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 25, (7), 1990, p603 - 608
BHANDARI, P, SHERIDAN, H, PRENYLATED FLAVONOIDS OF PHELLODENDRON-CHINENSE, PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY SECTION B-BIOLOGICAL GEOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL SCIENCE, 89, 1990, p91 - 96
Hook I, Lecky R, McKenna B, Sheridan H., Biotransformation of linalyl acetate by suspension cultures of Papaver bracteatum, Phytochemistry, 29, (7), 1990, p2143 - 2144
Hennessy D, Hook I, Sheridan H, McGee A., Hydroxycinnamic acid esters from cell suspension cultures and plants of Leontopodium alpinum, Phytochemistry , 28, (2), 1989, p489 -490
HOOK, I, SHERIDAN, H, WILSON, G, ALKALOIDS OF CELL-CULTURES DERIVED FROM STRAINS OF PAPAVER-BRACTEATUM, PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 27, 1988, p2137 - 2141
Hook I, Sheridan H, Wilson G., Alkaloids of cell cultures derived from strains of Papaver bracteatum, Phytochemistry, 27, (7), 1988, p2137 - 2141
Neoflavanoids in, editor(s)J.B. Harborne and T.J. Mabry , Flavanoids: Advances in Research. Vol. 2, Chapman and Hall, 1988, pp211 - 232, [D.M.X. Donnelly and H. Sheridan]
Dervilla MX Donnelly, Joseph O'Reilly, Judith Polonsky, M Helen Sheridan, In vitro production and biosynthesis of fomajorin D and S by Fomes annosus (Fr.) Cooke, Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1, 1987, p1869-1872
Hook, I., Hennessy, D. & Sheridan, H., Tissue culture of L. alpinum, Gesellschaft fur Arzneipflanzeforschung,, Leiden, 1987
D. Hennessy, I. Hook and H. Sheridan, Hydroxycinnamic esters in tissue cultures of "Leontopodium alpinum", Pharmaceutisch Weekblad Scientific Ed., 21, 9, (4), 1987, p217
H. Sheridan and D.M.X. Donnelly, Anthraquinones from Trichoderma polysporum, Phytochemistry, 25, (10), 1986, p2302
H. Sheridan and D.M.X. Donnelly, Biosynthesis of Fomajorin D". Incorporations of [1- 13 C], [2- 13 C] and [1, 2- 13 C 2 ]-acetates", J.C.S. Chem. Commun., 1983, p615
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Fiona Shannon, Astrid Sasse and Helen Sheridan. , Ethnomedicinal practices in 1930s Ireland. History of Medicine Section of the Royal Academy of Medicine, History of Medicine, Dublin, Ireland, 9th May, 2018
Jinfan Wang, Ingrid Hook, Malte Brummerloh, Jandirk Sendker, Astrid Sasse and Helen Sheridan. , From Monograph to Metabolomics: A Scientific Evaluation of the Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine Houttuynia cordata Thunb (鱼腥草Yu Xing Cao) Saururaceae - a case study, The 6th Annual Meeting of Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Association (GP-TCM RA). , Jordell Laboratories. Kew Gradens. London UK, July 4-6th. , 2018
Fiona Shannon, Astrid Sasse and Helen Sheridan., A repository of knowledge. The Schools' Manuscript Collection, offering a unique insight into medicinal practices in 1930s Ireland. , London, 2018, The British Society for the History of Pharmacy (BSHP).
Ciara M Fallon, Jessica Smyth, Natalia Lajczak, Helen Sheridan and Stephen J Keely. , Neutraceutical targeting of the bile acid receptor, farnesoid X receptor, for intestinal disease, The FALK Symposium 211 XXV International Bile Acid Meeting: Bile Acids in Health and Disease. , Dublin, Ireland, July 6 - 7, 2018
J. Wang, Ingrid Hook, Malte Brummerloh, Jandirk Sendker, Astrid Sasse and Helen Sheridan. , Best Practice for the Scientific Evaluation of Traditional Herbal Medicines: Houttuynia cordata Thunb (鱼腥草Yu Xing Cao) Saururaceae - A Case Study. , 66th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA) jointly with the 11th Shanghai TCM conference, Shanghai, August 26 - 29, 2018
Helen Sheridan, Fiona Shannon, Astrid Sasse and Michael Heinrich, Insight into Healing Herbs used in Post-famine Ireland, 66th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA) jointly with the 11th Shanghai TCM conference, Shanghai, China, August 26 - 29, 2018
Fiona Shannon, Astrid Sasse, Michael Heinrich and Helen Sheridan, A repository of knowledge - the Schools' Manuscript Collection, offering a unique insight into medicinal practices in 1930s Ireland, 'Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Healing, Charms and Medicine'. , Department of Celtic languages and literature. Harvard University. , April 5-7th 2018., 2018
Shanahan, F., Michael heinrich, Sasse, A, Sheridan, H., Traditional Medicinal Knowledge in Ireland in the 1930s - Exploring Botanical Treatments. , 58th Annual Meeting of the Society of Economic Botany. L, Braganca, Portugal, 5th June 2017, edited by Conference Committee , 2017
Helen Sheridan , Exploration of the feasibility of setting up the Trinity (or Irish) - Natural Product Foundation (Trinity-NPF of I-NPF) within TCD., CF-2017-0569Y. , Enterprise Ireland, 2017
Shanahan, F., Sasse, A, Sheridan, H. , An Ethnomedicinal Study of Traditional Plant Remedies of Co. Wexford, Ireland in the 1930s. , 38th All Ireland Schools of Pharmacy Research Conference. , Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin 2. , 21st March 2016, 1, 2016, P1-
Helen Sheridan and Ciara Smyth, Identification of extracts (and compounds) that could be derived from new plant species, grown in Ireland. An overview of species, market and potential partners who have processing experience, Enterprise ireland 1V-2012-3242., 2014
Nazir, I., Rahman, N., Chan, K., Frankish, N., Sheridan, H, Ethnobotanical Study of Antidiabetic Plants of Cholistan Desert, District Bahawalpur, Pakistan, London BioNat, University of East London. UK, March 12th 2013., 2013
Jandirk Sendker, Andreas Marmann, Liselotte Krenn, Helen Sheridan, Ian Sutherland, Svetlana Ignatova, Peter Proksch, Monique Simmonds, Robert Verpoorte, Alberto Dias, Valérian Bunel, You-Ping Zhu , Deliverable 2.10 of WP2 (FP7 GP-TCM) to European Commission., 2011/10/17, 2011
Neil Frankish and Helen Sheridan, Trino Therapeutics Ltd, 2011
E Passante, C Ehrhardt, H Sheridan, N Frankish, Effect of novel indanes on the degranulation of rat basophilic leukemia mast cells (RBL-2H3), FASEB J, Experimental Biology Meeting 2007, Washington, DC, 28.04.-02.05.2007, 21, (5), 2007, pp574.9
Hook, I., Comey, N. & Sheridan, H., Phytochemical evaluation of roots from cultivated L alpinum, Irish Botanists Meeting, University College Dublin, 2001
Hook, I., Comey, N. & Sheridan, H., Effect of inulin as carbon source on growth and essential oil content of Edelweiss hairy roots, 27th International Symposium on Essential Oils, Vienna, Austria, 1996
Hook, I., Comey, N., James, P. & Sheridan, H., A 2,3- dihydrochromone from the essential oil of edelweiss, Royal Society of Chemistry (TCD Meeting) Drugs from Natural Products. , Trinity College Dublin, 1994
Hook, I., Comey, N. & Sheridan, H., Essential oil from roots of Edelweiss, Leontopodium alpinum, 23rd International Symposium on Essential Oils, Ayr, Scotland, 1992
Hook, I. Ryan, S. & Sheridan, H., Biotransformation of exogenous organic substrates by marine microalgae, European Marine Biology Symposium, Trinity College Dublin, 1992
Hook, I., Sheridan, H. & Waldren, S., Preliminary phytochemical evaluation of Nesocodon mauritianus, Irish Botanists Meeting, University College Dublin, 1991
Hook, I. & Sheridan, H., Tissue culture and micropropagation of the fern Onychium japonicum, Plant Biotechnology-Dublin Group meeting , Maynooth, Ireland, 1991
Hook, I., Sheridan, H. & Wilson, G., Production of volatile metabolites by tissue cultures of Taraxacum officinale, Gesellschaft fur Arzneipflanzeforschung, Bonn, 1990
Hook, I., Lecky, R. & Sheridan, H., Biotransformation of exogenously applied terpenes by cell suspension culture of P bracteatum, Irish Botanists Meeting , Trinity College Dublin, 1989
Hook, I., Lecky, R. & Sheridan, H., Biotransformation of substrates by plant cell cultures, Plant Biotechnology - Dublin Group meeting , Trinity College Dublin, 1988
Hook, I., Lecky, R. & Sheridan, H., Biotransformation of exogenously applied substrates by cell suspension cultures of P bracteatum, SEB International Symposium, King's College London, Phytochemical Society of Europe, 1988
Research Expertise
Description
My research has always been multidisciplinary; built on collaboration with pharmacologists/ molecular-biologists/ bio-technologists/ botanists/anthropologists and sociologists and is recognised at a national and inter-national level. The driving force behind my work is to find new therapeutic treatments for unmet clinical need and to finding meaningful uses for natural molecules, and to improve the position on communities in the developing world who have a cultural and financial reliance on Traditional Medicine. I have learned a lot about the journey from therapeutic drug discovery to human trials, and the challenges and obstacles that line the road. However, experience led decision making about research is invaluable. Through this lens of experience, the molecules my group is working on have real therapeutic potential and have been designed to eliminate some of the insurmountable obstacles to drug development. My drug discovery focus, has been informed by the natural world, ethnomedical practice across the globe; molecular design, based on hybridised natural molecules; and using computer modelling to find natural molecules that target important receptors. In my natural product research I have engaged with International, multidisciplinary Consortia establishing good practice and gold standards for quality, safety and efficacy of complex natural medicines as nutraceuticals, and as food supplements. One of my core research and teaching beliefs is that 'it is at the interface of disciplines and expertise that new ideas and creativity emerge'. My current research falls under four main themes. 1) Multidisciplinary approach Drug discovery for the treatment of inflammatory disease and cancer Finding new therapies targeted at diseases with unmet clinical need. Currently I am PI on an SFI TIDA award and have 50 molecules being tested at level 2 in the Lilly Open Innovation Platform, with six significant nanomolar hits against a key target in Chemotherapy and radiation resistant cancer cells. 2) Drug discovery from the natural world is still ongoing. We use of natural materials (plants, cell cultures, microalgae) for the discovery of novel bio-active materials. 3) Traditional Herbal Medicine. Overview the best practice methodology, recommend applications, and future directions for metabolic profiling, component analysis and purification of secondary metabolites in preparations utilised in Traditional Medicine by large populations (Asia and Africa). Utilising metabolomic techniques to establish best practice for the determination of quality, safety and efficacy of herbal medicines for human and veterinary use. 4) Exploring traditional medicine (TM) in Ireland and in Sub-Saharan-Africa in the context of a changing global healthcare landscape, using a community in West Pokot, Kenya as a case study. I am Co-founder of Trino Therapeutics (Formerly Pharmatrin ltd), a TCD campus company whose activities are centered on drug discovery/development. Through this vehicle my research progressed through a significant Medicinal Chemistry programme of lead optimisation, GMP synthesis of lead, pre-clinical evaluation, regulatory approval and progression through Phase 1 Clinical trials. My ethnomedical research was presented in Harvard (2018), and my overall research work has been presented internationally and most recently on an invited lecture tour in China.Projects
- Title
- Unlocking Nature's Pharmacy from Bogland Species
- Summary
- "Unlocking Nature's Pharmacy from Bogland Species" is a project focused on studying the potential of the Irish bog plants. Bogs of Ireland constitute an enormous national resource. The cessation of industrial harvesting of bogland provides a unique opportunity to unlock the potential of bogland species and thus confer socio-economic and ecological and educational benefits to local communities and nationally. The aim of this project is to investigate the potential of the flora of the Irish boglands as a source of novel plant derived therapeutic formulae. Plant species, native to these environments, may provide an environmental and economic solutions to the future of these resources and to the communities who have worked on them. The project will be led by Principal Investigator, Professor Helen Sheridan of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SoPPS). The SoPPS at TCD is ranked number 34 by the Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2018 - Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (July 2018). Professor Sheridan is Ireland's leading academic in the area of Natural Product Chemistry. She has been pivotal in the development of new medicines using plants and cell cultures (plant, fungal and animal). Professor Sheridan is a founding and life member of an international Sino/European consortium, funded under EU-FP7, working on the application of quality, safety and efficacy of Traditional Medicines. She will work with teams across Trinity, and with her international collaborators to deliver this ambitious and pioneering research.
- Funding Agency
- Chinese Investors / Department of Justice
- Date From
- December 2019
- Date To
- Jan 2024
- Title
- Formulation development of natural products (NPs) from therapeutic plants
- Summary
- This project is funded by the EPSRC-SFI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Transformative Pharmaceutical Technologies and will link the SSPC (The Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals) and Trinity's NatPro Research Centre. The project will be concerned with two particular aspects: 1. Using a metabolomics approach in the assessment of the impact of pharmaceutical manufacturing processing technologies on the phyto-chemical profile and thereby potentially the biological activity of plant species of interest. 2. Assessment of the potential for the use of different "solidification" methods to convert NP extracts and tinctures of interest to powdered materials suitable for inclusion in a drug product (DP) or nutraceutical product (NCP) formulation. The overall objective of the project is to ascertain suitable processing and formulation approaches that can be employed to harness the potential of natural products (NPs) of interest, and to establish a platform product development train that can be applied to multiple NP extracts or tinctures.
- Funding Agency
- EPSRC-SFI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
- Date From
- September 2021
- Date To
- August 2025
- Title
- Functional Food and Pharmaceuticals - Marine Micro-Algae
- Summary
- This Marie Curie Career-Fit PLUS project, under H2020 and EI, aims to directly characterise algal key regulatory genes, for example to stop and start lipid biosynthesis. This is an emerging field with great potential for micro-algal cultivation for pharmaceuticals and human nutraceuticals. This research takes advantage of an unprecedented visualisation of lipid droplet change and current state of the art of proteomics and metabolomics to answer questions at the leading edge of algal biology.
- Funding Agency
- EU - EI
- Date From
- 2020
- Date To
- 2022
- Title
- Identification and characterisation quinoa strains with high antiinflammatory activity
- Summary
- The intestinal epithelium lines the gastrointestinal tract and forms a protective barrier separating us from the gut contents. If this barrier breaks down, bacteria, allergens, and toxins can enter the gut wall causing inflammation and, if left unchecked, can lead to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). While drugs (e.g., steroids and immunosuppressants) can dampen inflammation, they are often limited by expense, side effects, or lack of response. Therefore, new treatment approaches are urgently needed and given the enormous costs associated with pharmaceutical development, researchers are turning their attention to nutraceuticals as an alternative approach. Nutraceuticals are defined as food components that provide health benefits. Many come from dietary plants already used for centuries in traditional medicine and now increasingly used in Western countries, where nutraceutical sales are expected to exceed $200 billion by 2022. Despite this, knowledge of how bioactive molecules in nutraceuticals, known as phytochemicals (e.g., terpenes and flavonoids), exert their anti-inflammatory effects is still poor. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.), the "Golden grain of the Andes", is an ancient seed crop originally grown by Peruvian Aztecs. Designated a "superfood" in 2013 by the WHO, demand for quinoa has since surpassed supply, so that there is now a global shortage. Quinoa is highly nutritious and the only plant food containing all essential amino acids, trace elements and vitamins. It is also very rich in anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. Recently, Glanbia tested quinoa as a food crop in Ireland and, finding it to grow well in our climate, now have 8 different cultivars. FXR is a receptor protein expressed in intestinal epithelium where it is an important regulator of inflammation, cancer growth, and metabolism. In fact, reduced epithelial expression of FXR is associated with IBD, CRC, and metabolic diseases (9-11). Interestingly, studies from the Supervisor's labs have shown that an extract of quinoa increases FXR expression and activation in colonic epithelial cells (Figure 1). With this in mind, the central hypothesis of this project is that, by virtue of their anti-inflammatory and FXR-modulating actions, quinoa extracts can be developed as a new class of nutraceutical to prevent intestinal inflammation.
- Funding Agency
- IRC-Glanbia - EPS Scheme
- Date From
- September 2021
- Date To
- August 2025
- Title
- Assessment of the therapeutic potential of two lead anti-inflammatory molecules with a novel carbon scaffold in ex-vivo colonic explant tissue.
- Summary
- The rigid bicyclic indane (2,3-dihydro-1H-indene) is a 'privileged' sub-structure offering ten potential substitution sites for the design of high-affinity ligands with a 'perfect fit', targeted at a range of receptors. Elaborated indane scaffolds are in clinical use, including: Donepezil (Aricept) a reversible ACE inhibitor and Sulindac (Clinoril) an anti-inflammatory of unknown mechanism. Our ongoing research has led to the discovery of a commercially accessible, novel indane scaffold. 24 analogues (mwt <350) have been synthesised (4-5 steps) from inexpensive starting materials. We have identified two lead molecules which demonstrate anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects in-vitro. Based on our results, we wish to evaluate their effects on mediators in ex-vivo human ulcerative colitis explants together with their modulating effects on the tumour microenvironment. We anticipate that these lead molecules, alone or as combination with current therapies will reduce the immunosuppressive phenotype of the tumour microenvironment. There is potential for these molecules to treat disease such as IBD, RA, psoriasis; certain forms of cancers e.g. Barrett's oesophagus and also orphan diseases, such as Castleman's disease.
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- July 2018
- Date To
- October 2019
- Title
- Novel indanes as potential therapies for auto-immune disease
- Summary
- Novel indane compounds for the treatment of IBD. From Discovery to Phase 1 Human Trials.
- Funding Agency
- Wellcome Trust; Venture capital; Trino Therapeutics Ltd
- Date From
- 1999
- Date To
- December 2016
- Title
- Investigation into Mechanism of action of PH46A
- Summary
- Using Molecular biology and High resolution NMR to investigate molecular mechanism of action of the anti inflammatory clinical candidate PH46A
- Funding Agency
- Trino Therapeutics Ltd (Industry)
- Date From
- December 2015
- Date To
- December 2016
- Title
- A novel indane scaffold with potential anti-inflammatory agents.
- Summary
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) consists of two major forms, Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Both chronic inflammatory disorders follow a complex interaction of multiple factors in the pathogenesis n IBD. During the last two decades, development of new IBD drugs has expanded the therapeutic options for IBD patients. However, the number of failed therapies especially biologic drugs is noticeably high. There is still a clear gap in addressing this unmet need to improve the treatment of IBD. Development of small molecule drugs (SMDs) have recently resurfaced with new therapeutic agents at various clinical development stages. The discovery of PH46A, a novel first in class, dimeric indane with two chiral centres originated from this research group and has recently completed a Phase I, single ascending dose double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study for the treatment of IBD. The scaffold of PH46A incorporates the indane skeleton and is the N-glucamine salt of a single enantiomer PH46 of this novel drug. The current study focusses on two themes: (1) The pharmacological evaluation of PH46 to define a clearer understanding of the mechanism of its molecular action. (2) In addition, we have designed an exciting new indane scaffold. Pharmacological evaluations to characterise the structural activity relationships (SARs) of this group of novel indanes in in vitro and in vivo models have resulted in the discovery of a NOVEL group of molecules with potent IL6 inhibitory properties. These molecules are undergoing further evaluation.
- Funding Agency
- Trino Therapeutics Ltd (Industry)
- Date From
- 2015
- Date To
- 2017
- Title
- Traditional Chinese medicine research in the post-genomic era: Good practice,priorities, challenges and opportunities
- Summary
- P-TCM is the 1st EU-funded Coordination Action consortium dedicated to tradi-tional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. This paper aims to summarise the objectives, structure andactivities of the consortium andintroduces the position of the consortium regarding good practice,priorities, challenges and opportunities in TCM research. Serving as the introductory paper for the GP-TCM Journal of Ethnopharmacology special issue, this paper describes the roadmap of this special issueand reports how the main outputs of the ten GP-TCM work packages are integrated, and have led toconsortium-wide conclusions
- Funding Agency
- EU
- Date From
- 2008
- Date To
- 2012
- Title
- Effect of novel indanes on mast cell function
- Summary
- Novel synthetic indanes will be investigated on mast cell function and degrnaulation using harvested peritoneal mast cells, and mast cell lines such as RBL-3H3 and LAD2. Mediators studied will include histamine, cytokines etc.
- Funding Agency
- Enterprise Ireland and Trino Therapeutics Ltd
- Date From
- 2005
- Date To
- 2008
- Title
- Novel neuroprotective agents for the treatment of Parkinsons disease and other neurodegenerative disorders
- Summary
- Parkinsons disease, with worldwide distribution, is a neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms of tremor, akinesia and rigidity. As part of an ongoing study we have identified a series of compounds with neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties. We are investigating these molecules as a novel disease-modifying therapy for this important class of diseases
- Funding Agency
- Enterprise Ireland
- Date From
- 2008
- Date To
- 2009
- Title
- Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of Quinoa as Nutraceutical Modulator of the Farnesoid X Receptor
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- June 2018
- Date To
- May 2019
Recognition
Representations
External examiner to the University of Westminster. UK
Member of an Expert Advisory Group to support the National Bioeconomy Forum
Elected Board member of the Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research International Association (GP-TCM)
Grant evaluator for the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Expert on Advisory Board to the European Innovation Partnership -The Cultural Heritage of the Comeragh Mountains.
Academic Director of the NatPro The TCD Centre for Natural Product Research
Founder of 'NatPro', the TCD Centre for Natural Product Research and development
External Examiner to Postgraduate taught Master's Degrees in University College London (4 year term)
Founder of the TCD spinout company Trino Therapeutics Ltd
Natural Product advisor to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) Herbal Medicines Sub-Committee
Irish Medicines Board Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Ad Hoc sub-committee.
Board Member of the International Natural Product Science taskforce
Grant evaluator: International Foundation for Science, Sweden; http://www.ifs.se/
Grant evaluator for the Medical Research Council UK
External Examiner to Victoria University of Wellington. Wellington, New Zealand
External examiner for the University of Westminster. UK
External Examiner Cardiff University PhD Thesis
Examiner University College London
Examiner King's College London
Youth Science committee of the Royal Dublin Society
Awards and Honours
Trinity Innovation Award in the category 'Societal Impact'
Government appointment as Natural Product expert to the Expert Advisory Group to the National Bioeconomy Forum
Selected for participation in the Science Foundation Ireland - National Science Foundation US, for participation in the NSF Innovation Corps (I-CorpsTM) Programme.
Appointed to Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin -FTCD
Co-founder NatPro - The TCD Centre for Natural Product Research
Trinity College Dublin: Trinity Excellence in Teaching Awards - Provost's Teaching Award
SFI TIDA Award
Appointed to Fellowship of The Royal Society of Chemistry
Wellcome Trust Strategic Translation Award (co-PI)
Irish American Partnership Research Award - with Pfizer
Travel awards: British Council
RIA Travelling award
Department of Education Post Doctoral Fellowship (UCD).
Royal Commission for the 1851 Exhibition - Overseas Traveling Scholarship
French Government research Award - CNRS. Gif-Sur-Yvette
NBST Young Researcher award with Dr. Hector Rubelcava (UCD)
Memberships
Elected Board member of the Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Association (GP-TCM)
Board member of the Board of Directors of the Natural Product Sciences Task force INPST https://inpst.net/.
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Life member GP-TCM RA (Good Practice in TCM Research Association).
Member of the SCT (Societe De Chimie Therapeutique The French Society for Medicinal Chemistry)
Member of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research. Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzen- und Naturstoff-Forschung e.V. (GA).
NPRONET: Natural products discovery and bioengineering network