Dr. Astrid Sasse
Associate Professor, Pharmacy
Associate Professor, Trinity Inst. of Neurosciences (TCIN)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Astrid Sasse is a certified pharmacist who obtained her PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Analysis from the Free University Berlin, Germany. She conducted post-doctoral studies funded by a Marie-Curie Fellowship (FP5) at INSERM in Paris, France on the identification of a human histamine H3 receptor subtype and genetic linkage of SNPs on histamine H3 and H4 receptors to schizophrenia. As a senior staff scientist at the Max-Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine in Goettingen, Germany she determined corticotropin-releasing factor receptor binding by ex vivo autoradiography, before joining the International Centre for Neurotherapeutics (ICNT) at DCU in 2004 where she was involved in the development of neurotoxins derived from botulinum toxin by protein engineering methods. In October 2008, she was appointed as Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at TCD. Asst. Prof. Sasse's background provides her with expertise in many areas of Pharmaceutical Sciences, such as a vast knowledge of Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Analysis, Spectroscopy (UV-VIS, FT-IT, NMR, EI-MS), Molecular Biology, Receptor Binding Studies, Functional Assays as well as Protein Engineering and Analysis.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
STEPS (Malta / European Social Fund), Velox (Industry), COST Action BM0806, Trinity College (Start-up grant), Science without Borders (Brazil).
Biography
Dr. Sasse is a certified pharmacist who obtained her PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the Free University Berlin, Germany. She conducted post-doctoral studies funded by a Marie-Curie Fellowship (FP5) at INSERM in Paris, France on the identification of a human histamine H3 receptor subtype and genetic linkage of SNPs on histamine H3 and H4 receptors to schizophrenia. As a senior staff scientist at the Max-Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine in Goettingen, Germany she determined corticotropin-releasing factor receptor binding by ex vivo autoradiography, before joining the International Center for Neurotherapeutics (ICNT) at DCU in 2004 where she was involved in the development of neurotoxins derived from botulinum toxin by protein engineering methods. In October 2008, she was appointed as Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at TCD. Her research is focused on the development of small ligands for G-Protein coupled receptors (e.g., histamine H3/H4 receptor), and the identification, localization, and pharmacological characterization of new receptor subtypes, as well as the genetic linkage of those receptors to psychiatric disorders. She also has a special interest in alternative approaches to health, especially yoga and aromatherapy.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Hedigan F, Sagheri D, Sheridan H, Sasse A, Investigation of the Impact of Inhalation Aromatherapy on Relaxation and Wellbeing in a Young Adult Population, Current Research in Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 8, (2), 2024, p254-
F Hedigan, H Sheridan, A Sasse, Benefit of inhalation aromatherapy as a complementary treatment for stress and anxiety in a clinical setting - A systematic review, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 52, 2023, p101750-
Wang J, Dempsey E, Corr SC, Kukula-Koch W, Sasse A, Sheridan H., The Traditional Chinese Medicine Houttuynia cordata Thunb decoction alters intestinal barrier function via an EGFR dependent MAPK (ERK1/2) signalling pathway, Phytomedicine , 105, 2022, p154353-
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
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
Wang Jinfan; Sasse Astrid; Sheridan Helen, A scientific evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Houttuynia cordata Thunb (Yu xing cao): a case study., Planta Med, 87, (15), 2021, pPC8-35-
Jinfan Wang, Sinead Corr, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan, Scientific evaluation of traditional chinese medicine (TCD) Houttuynia cordata Thunb (Yu xing Tao) A case study., Planta Medica, 69th Internatinal Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research, Bonn, Germany, Sept. 6-8 2021, Thieme, 2021
Eissa N, Sadeq A, Sasse A and Sadek B , Role of Spectrum Disorder and the Emergence of Brain Histaminergic System. Lessons Also for BPSD? , Frontiers in Pharmacology, 11, 2020, p886-
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
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
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]
Ryan, T.J.; Grimes, T.; Henman, M.C.; Sheachnasaigh, E.N.; O'Dwyer, M.; Roche, C.; Ryder, S.A.; Sasse, A.; Walsh, J.J. & D'Arcy, D.M, Design and Implementation of an Integrated Competency-Focused Pharmacy Programme: A Case Report., Pharmacy, 7, (3), 2019, pdoi.org/10.3390/pharmacy703012
Eissa N, Al-Houqani M, Sadeq A, Ojha SK, Sasse A, Sadek B., Current Enlightenment About Etiology and Pharmacological Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder., Frontiers in neuroscience, 12, 2018, p304
Methodologies to identify and analyze genetic polymorphisms for human histamine receptors in, editor(s)Ekaterini Tiligada, Madeleine Ennis , Histamine Receptors as Drug Targets, Humana Press, Springer Nature, 2017, pp1 - 18, [Stephany Micallef, Astrid Sasse]
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-
Dul M, Paluch KJ, Healy AM, Sasse A, Tajber L, Optimisation of the self-assembly process: production of stable, alginate-based polyelectrolyte nanocomplexes with protamine, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 19, (6), 2017, p221 - 231
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
Genetic Polymorphisms in the Histamine Receptor Family in, editor(s)Patrizio Blandina and Maria Beatrice Passani , Histamine Receptors - Preclinical and Clinical Aspects, Switzerland, Humana Press, Springer Nature, 2016, pp51 - 74, [Micallef, S and Sasse, A]
Dul M, Paluch KJ, Kelly H, Healy AM, Sasse A, Tajber L, Self-assembled carrageenan/protamine polyelectrolyte nanoplexes-Investigation of critical parameters governing their formation and characteristics., Carbohydrate Polymers, 123, 2015, p339 - 349
Micallef S, Stark H, Sasse A, Polymorphisms and genetic linkage of histamine receptors., Life sciences, 93, (15), 2013, p487-494
Fabio Boylan, Astrid Sasse, Helen Sheridan(ed.), Holistic Approaches to Health Maintenance in the BSc. Pharmacy Degree at Trinity College, Institute of Technology, Dundalk, Ireland, 19-20th June 2013, 2013
Sasse, A., Histamine H4R Ligand Database, Inflammation Research, 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Histamine Reserach Society (EHRS), Lodz, Poland, 8-11th May 2013, 62, (1), Springer, 2013, ppS7 - S7
Micallef, S, Quinn E, Morris, D, Sasse, A., MICROSATELLITE REPEAT EXPANSIONS IN HUMAN HISTAMINE(4) RECEPTOR GENE, Inflammation Reserach, 41st Annual Meeting of the European Histamine Research Society (EHRS), Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, 2-5th May 2012, 61, (2), Springer, 2012, ppS52 - S52
Micallef, S., Quinn, E., Morris, D., Sasse, A., Genetic Polymorphism in Human Histamine 4 Receptor Gene and Schizophrenia, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington DC, USA, 12-16th Nov 2011, 2011, pp259
Meng, J, Ovsepian, SV, Wang, J, Pickering, M, Sasse, A, Aoki, KR, Lawrence, GW, Dolly, JO, Activation of TRPV1 mediates calcitonin gene-related peptide release, which excites trigeminal sensory neurons and is attenuated by a retargeted botulinum toxin with anti-nociceptive potential., The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 29, (15), 2009, p4981 - 4992
Multiple Steps in the Blockade of Exocytosis by Botulinum Neurotoxins in, editor(s)Jankovic, J., Albanese, A., Atassi, M.Z., Dolly, J.O., Hallett, M., Mayer N. , Botulinum Toxin - Therapeutic Clinical Practice and Science, Philadelphia, Saunders Elsevier, 2009, pp1 - 14, [Dolly, J.O., Meng, J., Wang, J., Lawrence, G.W., Boedeker, M., Zurawski, T.H., Sasse, A. ]
Wang, J, Meng, J, Lawrence, GW, Zurawski, TH, Sasse, A, Bodeker, MO, Gilmore, MA, Fernández-Salas, E, Francis, J, Steward, LE, Aoki, KR, Dolly, JO, Novel chimeras of botulinum neurotoxins A and E unveil contributions from the binding, translocation, and protease domains to their functional characteristics., The Journal of biological chemistry, 283, (25), 2008, p16993 - 17002
Weiss, C, Sametsky, E, Sasse, A, Spiess, J, Disterhoft, JF, Acute stress facilitates trace eyeblink conditioning in C57BL/6 male mice and increases the excitability of their CA1 pyramidal neurons., Learning & memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), 12, (2), 2005, p138 - 143
Tezval, H, Jahn, O, Todorovic, C, Sasse, A, Eckart, K, Spiess, J, Cortagine, a specific agonist of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor subtype 1, is anxiogenic and antidepressive in the mouse model., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101, (25), 2004, p9468 - 9473
Sasse, A, Ligneau, X, Rouleau, A, Elz, S, Ganellin, CR, Arrang, JM, Schwartz, JC, Schunack, W, Stark, H, Influence of bulky substituents on histamine h(3) receptor agonist/antagonist properties., Journal of medicinal chemistry, 45, (18), 2002
Wicek, M., Kiec-Kononowicz, K., Sasse, A., Ligneau, X., Schwartz, J.-C., Schunack, W., Stark, H., Histamine receptor expression: Impact of lipophilicity on the pharmacological properties of histamine H3-receptor antagonists of the cycloalkyl carbamate class, 51, (SUPPL.1), 2002
Morini, G., Grandi, D., Sasse, A., Stark, H., Schunack, W., Gastroprotective activity of the novel histamine H3-receptor agonist FUB 407, 50, (SUPPL. 2), 2001
Morisset, S, Sasse, A, Gbahou, F, Héron, A, Ligneau, X, Tardivel-Lacombe, J, Schwartz, JC, Arrang, JM, The rat H3 receptor: gene organization and multiple isoforms., Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 280, (1), 2001
Schwartz, J.C., Morisset, S., Rouleau, A., Tardivel-Lacombe, J., Gbahou, F., Ligneau, X., Héron, A., Sasse, A., Stark, H., Schunack, W., Ganellin, R.C., Arrang, J.M., Application of genomics to drug design: The example of the histamine H3 receptor, 11, (6), 2001, p441-448
Sasse, A, Schunack, W, Stark, H, Separation of chiral 4-substituted imidazole derivatives by cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis., Biomedical chromatography : BMC, 15, (1), 2001
Nickel, T, Bauer, U, Schlicker, E, Kathmann, M, Göthert, M, Sasse, A, Stark, H, Schunack, W, Novel histamine H(3)-receptor antagonists and partial agonists with a non-aminergic structure., British journal of pharmacology, 132, (8), 2001
Sasse, A, Ligneau, X, Sadek, B, Elz, S, Pertz, HH, Ganellin, CR, Arrang, JM, Schwartz, JC, Schunack, W, Stark, H, Benzophenone derivatives and related compounds as potent histamine H3-receptor antagonists and potential PET/SPECT ligands., Archiv der Pharmazie, 334, (2), 2001
Sasse, A, Stark, H, Ligneau, X, Elz, S, Reidemeister, S, Ganellin, CR, Schwartz, JC, Schunack, W, (Partial) agonist/antagonist properties of novel diarylalkyl carbamates on histamine H3 receptors., Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 8, (5), 2000
Kiec-Kononowicz, K, Wiecek, M, Sasse, A, Ligneau, X, Elz, S, Ganellin, CR, Schwartz, JC, Stark, H, Schunack, W, Importance of the lipophilic group in carbamates having histamine H3-receptor antagonist activity., Die Pharmazie, 55, (5), 2000
Sasse, A, Sadek, B, Ligneau, X, Elz, S, Pertz, HH, Luger, P, Ganellin, CR, Arrang, JM, Schwartz, JC, Schunack, W, Stark, H, New histamine H(3)-receptor ligands of the proxifan series: imoproxifan and other selective antagonists with high oral in vivo potency., Journal of medicinal chemistry, 43, (17), 2000
Sasse, A, Stark, H, Reidemeister, S, Hüls, A, Elz, S, Ligneau, X, Ganellin, CR, Schwartz, JC, Schunack, W, Novel partial agonists for the histamine H(3) receptor with high in vitro and in vivo activity., Journal of medicinal chemistry, 42, (20), 1999
Sasse, A, Kiec-Kononowicz, K, Stark, H, Motyl, M, Reidemeister, S, Ganellin, CR, Ligneau, X, Schwartz, JC, Schunack, W, Development of chiral N-alkylcarbamates as new leads for potent and selective H3-receptor antagonists: synthesis, capillary electrophoresis, and in vitro and oral in vivo activity., Journal of medicinal chemistry, 42, (4), 1999
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Niamh O'Boyle(ed.), 30th Annual GP2A Medicinal Chemistry Conference, Pharmaceuticals, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, 16, (3), 24-26th August 2022, 2023, 432-
The Histamine H3 Receptor: Gene Organization, Multiple Isoforms, Constitutive Activity and Molecular Pharmacology in, editor(s)Watanabe, T., Timmerman, H., Yanai, K. , Histamine Research in the New Millennium, Elsevier Science, 2001, pp9 - 21, [Arrang, J.-M., Morisset, S., Rouleau, A., Tarvidel-Lacombe, J., Gbahou, F., Ligneau, X., Héron, A., Sasse, A., Stark, H., Schunack, W., Ganellin, C.R., Schwartz, J.-C., ]
Partial Agonists for the Histamine H3 Receptor with High in Vivo Activity in, editor(s)Watanabe, T., Timmerman, H., Yanai, K. , Histamine Research in the New Millennium, Elsevier Science, 2001, pp77 - 82, [Schunack, W., Sasse, A., Stark, H., Elz, S., Ligneau, X., Ganellin, C.R., Schwartz, J.-C]
Research Expertise
Projects
- Title
- Recent Advances in Histamine H4 Research
- Summary
- COST Action BM0806
- Funding Agency
- EU RTD Framework Programme
- Date From
- 2009
- Date To
- 2013
- Title
- Identifying novel therapeutic targets for patients carrying single nucleotide polymorphisms in schizophrenia
- Funding Agency
- European Social Fund (Malta)
- Date From
- April 2010
- Date To
- Aug 2013
Recognition
Representations
European Histamine Research Society (EHRS) Council Member
European Histamine Research Society (EHRS) Council Member
Leader of Working Group 3 of COST Action BM0806
Financial Rapporteur, COST Action BM0806
Irish Representative, Management Committee of COST Action BM0806 'Recent Advances in Histamine Receptor H4R Research'.
Awards and Honours
Ernst-Reuter-Prize of the Free University of Berlin
Carl-Wilhelm-Scheele-Prize of the German Pharmaceutical Society (DPhG)
1st Poster Price during the XXIXth Annual meeting of the European Histamine Research Society (EHRS) in Nemi/Rome
Memberships
PSI - Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland
FENS, Federation of European Neuroscience Societies
EHRS, European Histamine Research Society
NI, Neuroscience Ireland
SFN, Society for Neuroscience
EUFEPS, European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences
DPhG, Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft (German Pharmaceutical Society)