PhD Project 2
Discovery of novel bioactive compounds from marine microorganisms
Ria Desai
I am a doctoral candidate in Marine Biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen. Within the framework of the HOTBIO project, my role centres on conducting chemical analyses and extraction of microbial fermentations provided by my fellow researchers. My work primarily involves upscaling fermentation of marine bacterial strains using range of media, fractionating fermentation broth, followed by dereplication using MS-MS networking tools, compound purification and structural elucidation with spectroscopic techniques, such as NMR and MS. My academic background is anchored by a master’s degree in marine biotechnology from Goa University, India, and a bachelor's degree in biology from M.S. University of Baroda, India.
Discovery of novel bioactive compounds from marine microorganisms
Objectives:
1) Fermentation of bacterial strains using a range of media. The addition of stresses (toxins, metals etc) to elicit expression will be tried as well as the use of co-cultivation in a specially designed vessel separating cultures with a membrane permeable to small molecules.
2) Extraction and fractionation of the fermentation broth and cell mass using solvents followed by dereplication using GNPS and other MS-MS networking tools. Extracts/fractions will be tested for bioactivity.
3) Compound purification and structural elucidation. Fractions with high bioactivity that show chemical novelty will be prioritised for chromatographic purification. Pure compounds will be structurally characterised using spectroscopic methods (NMR/MS).
4) Pure compounds will be tested to establish their mechanism of action and their ADMET profile determined to confirm their drug-likeness.
