Principle Research Interests

The project involves the synthesis and biological evaluation of DNA-directed hybrid drugs in which an endoperoxide-containing group is covalently linked to a DNA intercalator (naphthalimide). Both moieties have demonstrable antitumour activity; naphthalimides interact with DNA interfering with the transcription process, altering or damaging DNA and inducing cell death, while the endoperoxide moiety acts as a prodrug that is activated by iron (II) in tumour cells introducing some specificity to the drug. It is hoped that by covalently combining these two types of compounds we can optimise their activity and produce novel, multimodal anticancer drugs.

Initial studies involve the in vitro spectroscopic quantitation of the hybrids’ affinity for DNA. Following this, viable hybrids will be chosen for further studies, including cytoxicity and clonogenic assays.

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