Researchers
Background:
I completed my PhD in medicinal chemistry at the University of Newcastle where I worked on the development of dynamin inhibitors for use as biological probes in the study of endocytosis and as potential drugs for the treatment of neurological disease such as epilepsy. I then worked on the development of protein phosphatase inhibitors as anti-cancer agents as a Research Associate for a small biotech university spin off. In 2006 I moved to Brisbane to join another biotech company where I worked as a Research Scientist with my work focusing on the development of immunoassays and the synthesis of polymers. In 2008 I joined the Fairlie group to recommence research, which works at the interface of chemistry and biology, and to further my interests in drug discovery and the understanding of medically important biological processes.
Research Interests:
* Medicinal Chemistry of neurological diseases e.g. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy
* Design and Synthesis of Protein Mimetics
* Development of small peptidic and non-peptidic ligands targeting GPCR’s and Enzymes
* Protein and Peptide structure and function.
Publications:
* Hill, T. A.; Gordon, C. P.; McGeachie, A. B.; Venn-Brown, B.; Odell, L. R.; Chau, N.; Quan, A.; Mariana, A.; Sakoff, J. A.; Chircop, M.; Robinson, P. J.; McCluskey, A. Inhibition of Dynamin Mediated Endocytosis by the Dynoles-Synthesis and Functional Activity of a Family of Indoles. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2009, 52, 3762-3773.
* Hill, T. A.; Stewart, S. G.; Gordon, C. P.; Ackland, S. R.; Gilbert, J.; Sauer, B.; Sakoff, J. A.; McCluskey, A. Norcantharidin Analogues: Synthesis, Anticancer Activity and Protein Phosphatase 1 and 2A Inhibition. Chemmedchem 2008, 3, 1878-1892. Stewart, S. G.; Hill, T. A.; Gilbert, J.; Ackland, S. P.; Sakoff, J. A.; McCluskey, A. Synthesis and biological evaluation of norcantharidin analogues: Towards PP1 selectivity. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 2007, 15, 7301-7310.
* Hill, T. A.; Stewart, S. G.; Sauer, B.; Gilbert, J.; Ackland, S. P.; Sakoff, J. A.; McCluskey, A. Heterocyclic substituted cantharidin and norcantharidin analogues - synthesis, protein phosphatase (1 and 2A) inhibition, and anti-cancer activity. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2007, 17, 3392-3397.
* Hill, T. A.; Stewart, S. G.; Ackland, S. P.; Gilbert, J.; Sauer, B.; Sakoff, J. A.; McCluskey, A. Norcantharimides, synthesis and anticancer activity: Synthesis of new norcantharidin analogues and their anticancer evaluation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 2007, 15, 6126-6134.
* McCluskey, A.; Leitch, S. K.; Garner, J.; Caden, C. E.; Hill, T. A.; Odell, L. R.; Stewart, S. G. BiCl3-mediated opening of epoxides, a facile route to chlorohydrins or amino alcohols: one reagent, two paths. Tetrahedron Letters 2005, 46, 8229-8232.
* Hill, T. A.; Sakoff, J. A.; Robinson, P. J.; McCluskey, A. Parallel solution-phase synthesis of targeted tyrphostin libraries with anticancer activity. Australian Journal of Chemistry 2005, 58, 94-103.
* Hill, T.; Odell, L. R.; Edwards, J. K.; Graham, M. E.; McGeachie, A. B.; Rusak, J.; Quan, A.; Abagyan, R.; Scott, J. L.; Robinson, P. J.; McCluskey, A. Small molecule inhibitors of dynamin I GTPase activity: Development of dimeric tyrphostins. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2005, 48, 7781-7788.
* Hill, T. A.; Odell, L. R.; Quan, A.; Abagyan, R.; Ferguson, G.; Robinson, P. J.; McCluskey, A. Long chain amines and long chain ammonium salts as novel inhibitors of dynamin GTPase activity. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2004, 14, 3275-3278.
* Garner, J.; Hill, T.; Odell, L.; Keller, P.; Morgan, J.; McCluskey, A. Identification of aminopyrimidine regioisomers via line broadening effects in H-1 and C-13 NMR Spectroscopy. Australian Journal of Chemistry 2004, 57, 1079-1083.
* McCluskey, A.; Robinson, P. J.; Hill, T.; Scott, J. L.; Edwards, J. K. Green chemistry approaches to the Knoevenagel condensation: comparison of ethanol, water and solvent free (dry grind) approaches. Tetrahedron Letters 2002, 43, 3117-3120.
