Shintu Mathew

Discovery of novel anti-inflammatory compounds from Australian Indigenous plants

Australia is one of the world’s most megadiverse countries with unique plant and animal life. Indigenous Australians have used different plants to treat diseases related to inflammation like pain, sores, cuts, burns, and inflamed wounds for thousands of years.

Based on the D'harawal pharmacopeia of Dr Frances Bodkin (Aunty Fran), this PhD project aims to discover novel anti-inflammatory compounds from these Indigenous plants using bioactivity-guided purification and modern chemical analysis. This study also plays an important role in preserving the knowledge of plant medicines used by Indigenous People. Shintu is a recipient of the NICM HRI Scholarship Program.

Supervisors:

Dr Ritesh Raju; Professor Gerald Muench; Dr Xian (Phoebe) Zhou