Good Health & Preventing Disease

Overview

Excessive levels of free radicals are known to cause significant damage to biological materials. However, radical processes can also be useful in the synthesis of products to treat disease. This signature theme focuses on utilising radical reactions to control biological free radicals and, in doing so, improve human and animal health.

Through multidisciplinary and innovative research, the Centre is creating:

• new pharmaceuticals that target free radical damage associated with a number of major human diseases, including atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), hypertension, neurodegenerative conditions (such as Alzheimer's disease), cancer and tuberculosis,
• new pharmaceuticals for the treatment of hypertension that also act as antioxidants to mop up reactive oxygen species before they cause inflammation,
• a greater understanding of free radical reactions that occur during disease and the processes that normally prevent radical damage, and
• new strategies and technology to prevent unwanted and uncontrolled radical formation within the body.

Research Projects

Building on the core knowledge derived from the Fundamental Radical Chemistry theme, free radical researchers working within the Good Health and Preventing Disease theme aim to enhance understanding of biological radicals and the factors that make some radicals beneficial and others detrimental. This understanding will heighten control of biological free radicals and as a result improve human and animal health.

Examples of the current research being conducted under this theme are:

• Development of novel anti-cancer drugs using the pyranoquinone family of antibiotics starting compounds;
• Examination of the action of the anti-tuberculosis drug, isoniazid with a view to improving it's action;
• Examination of nitroxide radicals as antioxidants;
• Development of dual acting antioxidant-adenosine agonists to be used in the reduction of cell damage after heart attack;
• Development of sodium channel blockers with antioxidant substituents to be used in the treatment of hypertension and heart disease;
• Investigation of nitric acid and nitroxides as scavengers of protein-derived radicals and protective agents against protein oxidation;
• Development of targeted antioxidants containing hindered phenols, eg: anti-asthma compounds;
• Examination of the radicals in Coenzyme B12 chemistry;
• Examination of myeloperoxidase-derived oxidants as mediators in human inflammatory diseases;
• Examination of protein oxidation in human disease, using the chronic autoimmune disease Systemic lupus erythematosus;
• Examination of oxidative stress in neuronal development and degeneration, and assessment of antioxidants as candidate treatment compounds.