DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Abdul Samad Basheer( Award Conferred 9 October 2024)
Title of Thesis:‘ Anti-cancer Mechanism of MS17 [ 1, 5-bis( 2-hydroxyphenyl)-1, 4-pentadiene-3-one ] and Curcumin-treated Human Glioblastoma and Neuroblastoma Cells.’
Glioblastoma and neuroblastoma are malignant tumors of the brain and central nervous system. Current treatment options are limited to treating these malignancies. There is a need to find new adjuvants to combat these cancers. Natural products and their derivatives are promising anticancer agents because of their broad pharmacological activities. Curcumin has shown remarkable anticancer effects against various cancers by targeting many molecular targets in cancer development. Curcumin analogs such as diarylpentanoids( e. g., MS17) are emerging anticancer agents. MS17 has shown potent cell growth inhibitory effects in in-vitro studies.
Supervisor: Professor Iekhsan Othman Associate Supervisor: Professor Rakesh Naidu External Supervisor: Associate Professor Faridah Abas
Qi Fan( Award Conferred 20 November 2024)
Title of Thesis:‘ Deciphering a regulatory atlas of germ cell development.’
Germ cell development is an essential process to transfer genetic information from parents to children, but the genetic regulation of this process is not fully understood. This thesis provides a comprehensive genetic map for the control of germ cell development and provides a foundation for detailed genetic analysis in the future.
Supervisor: Professor Roger David John Pocock Associate Supervisor: Dr Wei Cao
Magdalena Anastazja Kuchta( Award Conferred 27 November 2024)
Title of Thesis:‘ The hormonal regulation of the prostate Influence of the natriuretic peptides.’
This thesis investigated the cGMP signalling pathway via CNP / GC-B as a new therapeutic option for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Expression analyses showed that in prostatic smooth muscle cells, CNP / GC-B components are higher expressed than others, such as GC-A or sGC. Furthermore, CNP treatment delayed the growth of HPrSMCs. Ex vivo experiments with a rat model demonstrated that CNP and its analogue VNP led to significant relaxation of the prostate glands. As both characteristics of BPH( increased proliferation and muscle tone) can be addressed by the CNP / GC-B pathway, it presents another option for the treatment of BPH.
Supervisor: Dr Betty Exintaris Supervisor: Professor Ralf Middendorff Associate Supervisor: Professor Katherine Ann Lakoski Loveland Associate Supervisor: Dr Michael Raymond Whittaker
Yee Chang Soh( Award Conferred 25 September 2024)
Title of Thesis:‘ Sodium Intake Measurement in Adults with Elevated Blood Pressure: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation.’
Restricting salt( sodium) intake is crucial in managing hypertension, and requires precise measurement for effective control. This research evaluated various sodium assessment methods among people with high blood pressure. Utilizing systematic review, quantitative validation, and qualitative interviews, this PhD project provided valuable insights into existing dietary and urinary sodium assessment techniques, highlighting their limitations when applied to individuals with high blood pressure. It also assessed participant experiences when undergoing these assessments in a multicultural Malaysian setting. Findings informed the selection of optimal methods, recommended the need for alternative method development, and stressed the necessity for contextual adaptation of assessment methods in population-level interventions and policies targeting salt reduction in people with high blood pressure.
Supervisor: Associate Professor Devi Mohan Associate Supervisor: Professor Daniel Diamond Reidpath External Supervisor: Associate Professor Mario Siervo External Supervisor: Dr Andrea Mcgrattan Associate Supervisor: Professor Mohamed Shajahan bin Mohamed Yasin
Yongwei Zhao( Award Conferred 6 March 2024)
Title of Thesis:‘ Understanding P450-mediated sidechain crosslinking in peptide biosynthesis using a chemoenzymatic strategy.’
Antibiotics are important for saving people from deadly bacterial infection. The structure of the antibiotics is important for their activity. Such structures are generally created by enzymes that form crosslinks. Understanding how the crosslinks are formed is important for developing new antibiotics that combat the coming resistance. This thesis examines the crosslink formation mediated by enzymes called P450s and discovers the rules for their formation in two different systems.
Supervisor: Professor Max Cryle Associate Supervisor: Dr Julien Tailhades
G R A D U A T I O N CELEBRATION 57