Associate Professor
Rohan Davis
BScHons, PhD, ANZMBN, ANPS, APCRC-Q, ACS, ASP, RACI
Expert in natural products chemistry and drug discovery
Affiliations
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery
- Griffith Sciences
Overview
Current Work
| My research involves: (i) the design and synthesis of drug discovery and chemical probe screening libraries based on natural product scaffolds; (ii) the isolation and structure elucidation of new bioactive natural products from Australian biota; and (iii) biodiscovery involving high-throughput screening against cells and molecular targets. |
News
Expertise Keywords
- NMR structure elucidation
- bio discovery
- malaria
- marine natural products
- medicinal chemistry
- natural products chemistry
- phytochemistry
- prostate cancer
Subject Area Codes
- Biodiscovery
- Cancer Cell Biology
- Natural Products Chemistry
Country Affiliations
- Austria
- Canada
- China
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United States
Research Publications and Outputs
Recent Publications
Publications: 141 (Other: 141)
Funded Griffith Research
- (2018). Calpeptin, and related candidates, for the treatment of Machado Joseph disease
- (2017). A Cure for Spinal Cord Injury
- (2017). Adaptive Response to Targeting the Androgen Axis: A Strategic Offensive on Resistance (Stage 2)
- (2017). Drug Discovery Separation Capability
- (2016). High-content screening of small molecule inhibitors from nature that target prostate cancer metabolism
- (2015). Phytochemical and biological investigations of cytotoxic compounds from Australian endemic plants (Claire Levrier)
- (2014). Identification of new antibacterial agents that inhibit type III secretion
- (2014). Integrated eGateway Naturebank data management portal
- (2012). Evaluation of Novel Pyrrolo/Iminoquinone Antimalarial Compounds
- (2012). Nature Bank expansion
- (2010). A Queensland-British Columbia Drug Discovery Alliance
- (2010). A robot to facilitate microtitre plate cherry picking and replication for the Eskitis Molecular Library initiative
- (2009). Chiral Separations Facility
- (2005). Upgrade and Maintenance of research Capabilities in Science, Nathan Labs
- (2004). The analgesic evaluation of novel natural products from the Australian plant Barringtonia acutangula
- (2004). The discovery of novel cytotoxic fungal metabolites
- Targeting cancer metabolism with therapeutics derived from Queensland biota
Engagement and Impact
Invitations
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PlenaryChemical and Biological Investigations of Natural Products from Australian Marine Sponges and Ascidians, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, CHINA, 2017,
PlenaryPeriwinkles, may-apples, yew and happy trees have all delivered drugs – can Australian plants also impact biodiscovery, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore, 2017,
PresentationChemical and Biological Adventures with Indole Alkaloids from Australian Marine Invertebrates, South Australian Marine Biotechnology Public Seminar, Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development, Flinders University, 2017,
PresentationChemical and Biological Adventures with Indole Alkaloids from Australian Marine Invertebrates, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, GERMANY, 2016,
CollaborationBioactive Phytochemicals from Australian Plants, LEO Pharma, International Headquarters, Ballerup, DENMARK, 2016,
PresentationThe Identification of Bioactive Phytochemicals from Australian Endemic Plants, University of Vienna, AUSTRIA, 2016,
PresentationPeriwinkles, may-apples, yew and happy trees – can Australian flora compete and deliver in the drug discovery arena?, University of Melbourne, 2016,
PresentationBiodiscovery and Fungi: A Superb Mix, Shanghai Institute for Materia Medica, CHINA, 2016,
PresentationBiodiscovery @ Griffith, RMIT, 2016,
SeminarDrug Discovery from Australian Native Flora, University of Queensland, 2017,
PresentationPeriwinkles, may-apples, yew and happy trees have all delivered drugs; can Australian plants also impact biodiscovery?, University of Sydney, 2017,
Learning and Teaching
Current and Past Courses
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NMR Adv Struct Elucidation (7311NSC)Convenor, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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NMR Adv Struct Elucidation (7311NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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Adv Analytical Chemistry (3102BPS)Convenor, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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Adv Analytical Chemistry (3102BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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Adv Analytical Chemistry (3102NSC)Convenor, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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Adv Analytical Chemistry (3102NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2018.
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Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (6103BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 1, 2018.
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Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (6103NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 1, 2018.
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NMR Adv Struct Elucidation (7311NSC)Convenor, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2017.
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NMR Adv Struct Elucidation (7311NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2017.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2017.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2017.
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Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (6103BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 1, 2017.
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Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (6103NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 1, 2017.
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NMR Adv Struct Elucidation (7311NSC)Convenor, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2016.
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NMR Adv Struct Elucidation (7311NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2016.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2016.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2016.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2015.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2015.
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Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (6103BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 1, 2015.
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Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (6103NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 1, 2015.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104BPS)Convenor, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2014.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104NSC)Convenor, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2014.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2013.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2013.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104BPS)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2012.
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Drug Design & Delivery (3104NSC)Teacher, In Person, Nathan Campus, Semester 2, 2012.
Research by Higher Degree Supervision or Scholarship
Apply for a PhD or research degree at Griffith Supervision Overview
I am currently Principal Supervisor for 4 PhD students. I am an Associate Supervisor for another 4 PhD students at GRIDD.Theses Supervised at Griffith
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(2012) Chemical Diversity of Eremophila Species and Screening Library Generation Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
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(2015) Investigation of Novel Antimalarial Agents and Novel Target Identification Approaches Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
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(2015) Chemical Investigations of Australian Marine Sponges Using Experimental and Theoretical NMR Spectroscopy Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
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(2016) Phytochemical and Biological Investigations of Cytotoxic Compounds from Australian Endemic Plants Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
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(2014) Chemical and Biological Investigations of Anticancer Compounds from Australian Ascidians Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
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(2017) Design and Synthesis of Natural Product-Based Screening Libraries Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
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(2014) Antimalarial Natural Products from Terrestrial Macrofungi Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Background
Bio
Associate Professor Rohan Davis received a BSc (Honours First Class) degree in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Melbourne (1992). He worked as a research assistant on the AstraZeneca/Griffith University natural product drug discovery program (1994–1996) before undertaking his PhD studies (1997–2000) in marine natural products chemistry under the supervision of Professors Ronald Quinn and Anthony Carroll. Rohan subsequently worked for two years at the University of Utah under the guidance of Professor Chris Ireland on a project that involved the identification and biology of new anti-cancer agents from marine invertebrates. Since being recruited back to Griffith University in 2003 his research has involved: (i) the design and synthesis of drug discovery and chemical probe screening libraries based on natural product scaffolds; (ii) the isolation and structure elucidation of new bioactive natural products from Australian biota; and (iii) biodiscovery involving high-throughput screening against cells and molecular targets. Rohan has authored >130 peer-reviewed publications in international chemistry/biology journals, and currently holds two patents. A/Prof. Davis has led both industry-funded and academic-based research projects that have resulted in the isolation and structure determination of >1000 natural products from plant, marine and microbial sources. A/Prof. Davis is the Academic Lead for NatureBank, which is a unique Australian biodiscovery resource that is housed at the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery.
For more details on A/Prof. Davis’ research please visit:
www.griffith.edu.au/gridd
orcid.org/0000-0003-4291-7573
www.researcherid.com/rid/B-1689-2008Education and Training
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BScHons Bachelor Of Science With Honours, The University of Melbourne 1989 - 1992
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PhD Doctor Of Philosophy, Griffith University 1997 - 2000
Visiting appointments
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Visiting Professor, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China 2017 -
Editorial roles
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Journal Editor, Phytochemistry 2013 -
Professional memberships
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ANZMBN Member, Australia-New Zealand Marine Biotechnology Network 2017 -
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ANPS Member, Australian Native Plant Society 2010 -
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APCRC-Q Member, Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre – Queensland 2013 -
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ACS Member, American Chemical Society 2014 -
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ASP Member, American Society of Pharmacognosy 1998 -
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RACI Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute 1997 -