Dr Matthew Piggott completed his BSc and PhD at UWA working under the supervision of Prof. Dieter Wege on the total synthesis of natural products. He then took up a postdoctoral fellowship in the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University, where he worked on antibiotic drug discovery in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline. His second postdoc, with Prof. T. Ross Kelly at Boston College, involved research directed at the synthesis of a chemically-powered, unidirectional molecular motor. Matthew was appointed to an academic position at the ANU in the Department of Chemistry in 2003, and moved to the School of Molecular Sciences at UWA in 2005.

Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology

I love designing and synthesising new compounds. Sometimes this is done with a practical application in mind; for example, with the aim of discovering new drugs (medicinal chemistry), to study complex biological systems (chemical biology), or as molecular components of electronic circuits or machines. Sometimes, strategy and methodology are the focus: how can we make a complex, biologically active natural product as efficiently as possible? And, sometimes, the driving force is about pushing the boundaries. We can design molecules with unprecedented, beautiful structures – can we make them? In all cases, the creativity and logic of organic synthesis is immensely intellectually rewarding. Very brief overviews of current research areas are outlined below.

Trypanosomiasis medicinal chemistry: Trypanosomiasis includes African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease, major neglected diseases of the third world. This work involves a multipronged international collaboration with Professor Jonathan Baell at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical sciences, Melbourne; Professor Vicky Avery at the Eskitis Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane; and GlaxoSmithKline, through the Tres Cantos Open Lab Foundation.

Cancer drug discovery: Though a collaboration with cancer biologist Dr Joost Lesterhuis (Perkins Inst./UWA) and structural biologist Prof. Alice Vrielink (UWA), we are using structure-based drug design to identify potent antagonists of two nuclear receptors. We believe inhibition of these receptors has therapeutic potential in mesothelioma and other invasive cancers.

Novel therapy for spinal cord injury: With A/Prof. Phil Burcham (Pharmacology, UWA), we are exploring small sacrificial molecules that protect against the secondary degeneration that plagues spinal cord injury.

Chemical Biology: Efforts in this area have included the synthesis of stable analogues of phosphohistidine for the purpose of antibody generation, and histidine phosphatase/kinase inhibitor identification, in collaboration with Professor Paul Attwood (UWA); the design and synthesis of fluorescent probes of enzyme activity; and biological mass-spectrometry probes for the interrogation of protein oxidation state with Professor Peter Arthur (UWA).

Total synthesis of natural products: Our group has achieved the novel total synthesis of a dozen biologically-active natural products. Additional synthetic work has refuted and in some cases corrected several structures assigned to natural products.

Design and synthesis of compounds with novel aromatic architectures: Work in this area includes the development of molecular switches (with Professor George Koutsantonis) and design and synthesis of novel and beautiful polycyclic aromatic compounds that have supramolecular application or resemble machine components.

For more details on any of these areas of research (see also "Current Projects"), please email Matthew.

Drug Discovery and Development
Pharmaceuticals
Natural products
Molecular electronics

Research Students:

Glenn Pullella (PhD Scholar, 2015–2020, lab work completed)
Total synthesis of quinonoid natural products (eucapsitrione, albopunctatone, diospyrin)

Dominika Jusko (PhD scholar, commenced 2018)
Mesothelioma medicinal chemistry

Adam Wdowiak (PhD scholar, commenced 2019)
Heterotriangulenes

Former Students: (Current occupation)

Dr Francis Dhoro (PhD 2015–2019)
Total synthesis of marine alkaloids

Dr Harriet Newson (PhD, 2013–2017)
Part I: Highly oxygenated biphenyls inspired by natural products as antiviral agents Part II: Novel Trypanosomacidal agents for the treatment of human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Chagas disease
(postdoctoral fellow, Ferrier Inst. Victoria University of Wellington)

Dr Mark Walkey (Hons 2011, PhD 2012–2017, with Prof. George Koutsantonis)
Spiropyran-based organometallic molecular switches

Jesse Parkin-Gibbs (PhD 2009–2010, then with Prof. Murray Baker)
Structural identification of samoquasine A through total synthesis

Hannah Green (Honours 2016)
Total synthesis of dehydroxyarthrinone
(Analytical/forensic Chemist, ChemCentre WA, Perth)

Dr Stephanie Russell (PhD 2010-2016 with a period of suspension for family reasons)
MDMA analogues for the treatment of Blood Cancers; Hit-to-lead optimisation of a novel class of potent trypanosomacidal agents
(formerly Appili Therapeutics, Halifax, now a mother)

Pnelope Ng (Honours with Prof. Christina Chai, NUS)
Hit-to-lead optimisation of a novel class of potent trypansomacidal agents
(Associate analytical chemist, Covance, Singapore)

Dr Marco Buccini (Hons, PhD 2011-2015)
Part I. The total synthesis of epi-antrodioxolanone
Part II. Quinones as synthons for polycyclic, heteroaromatic natural products
(Imdex Ltd. Perth)

Rohan Joyce (Honours 2012)
Applications of stable analogues of phosphohistidines
(Synthetic chemist, Advanced Molecular Technologies, Melbourne)

Arthur Toynton (Honours level, on exchange from Durham U., 2012/2013)
African Sleeping sickness drug discovery
(Strategy Manager, Open Banking at HSBC UK Retail)

Shi Yuan Jeow (Honours 2011, Singapore)
Synthesis of alpkinidine analogues & Studies of a novel N-hydroxyindole synthesis
(Radiochemist, Clinical Imaging Research Center, A-STAR, Singapore)

Dr Shin Mukai (PhD 2007–2011)
Stable analogues of phosphohistidine
(Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School)

Hung Nguyen (Hons 2006, PhD commenced 2007, w/d)
Parkinson’s disease med-chem

Dr Katie Punch (Hons, PhD 2005–2011)
Total synthesis of monosporascone and the antrocamphins
(Environmental Scientist, Alcoa)

Michael Gandy (Hons, PhD scholar, commenced 2006, w/d)
Redesigning the designer drug ‘ecstasy’: analogues of MDMA for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and Burkitt’s lymphoma
(Student Services Manager, UNSW)

Dr Erik Jan Lindeboom (Occupational Trainee)
An improved, large scale synthesis of Leadfluor-1.
(Trainee Patent Attorney at V.O. Patents, Amsterdam)

David Osbourne (Honours 2009)
Polyacenes as bridging ligands for photoactive metal complexes.

Dr Katie Lewis (Honours, PhD 2005-2009)
Redesigning the designer drug ‘ecstasy’: analogues of MDMA for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and Burkitt’s lymphoma

Collaborators:

Prof. Jonathan Baell, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne.
Prof. Mathew Martin Iverson, UWA
Prof. Paul Attwood, UWA
Prof. George Koutsantonis, UWA
Prof. Paul Low, UWA.
Prof. Peter Arthur, UWA.
Dr Joost Lesterhuis, Perkins Inst., UWA.
Prof. Alice Vrielink, UWA.

Former collaborators:

Prof. John Gordon, Birmingham University, UK
Prof. Christina Chai, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Dr Jonathan Brotchie, University Health Network, Toronto Western Research Institute, Canada
A/Prof. Joanne Nash, University of Toronto, Canada
Dr Paul Besant, UWA