Professor Colin Suckling

Research Professor

Pure and Applied Chemistry

Personal statement

Colin Suckling has been Freeland Professor of Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde since 1989. During the 1990s until 2002, he served successively as Dean of the Faculty of Science, Deputy Principal, and Vice Principal of the University of Strathclyde. Much of Professor Suckling's work during that time was strategic including the development of inter-institutional and interdisciplinary research partnerships notably the research collaboration with the University of Glasgow (WestCHEM), which was recognized publicly with the award of OBE in 2006.

Recent and current research interests focus on the synthesis and properties of heterocyclic compounds designed as molecular probes for biological systems or as drugs. Particular progress has been made in the field of fused pyrimidine compounds with anticancer and antiparasite activity and in the field of minor groove binders for DNA with antibacterial activity. Several discoveries are entering pre-clinical development.

Professor Suckling's standing in the field of heterocyclic chemistry has been recognized by the award of the Adrien Albert Lectureship of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2009-10) and his appointment as chairman of the 2011 International Congress of Heterocyclic Chemistry to be held in Glasgow.

Prizes and awards

Honorary Life Fellowship of Indian Society of Chemists and Biologists: Recipient; 2/2015
Gold medal of Indian Society of Chemists and Biologists: Recipient; 2/2011
Nexxus Lifetime achievement award: Recipient; 2011
Royal Society of Chemistry Adrien Albert Lecturer: Recipient; 2008
OBE: Recipient; 6/2006
Honorary Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh: Recipient; 2005

more prizes and awards

Publications

Protection against arthritis by the parasitic worm product ES-62, and its drug-like small molecule analogues, is associated with inhibition of osteoclastogenesis: Doonan James, Lumb Felicity E., Pineda Miguel A., Tarafdar Anuradha, Crowe Jenny, Khan Aneesah M., Suckling Colin J., Harnett Margaret M., Harnett William; Frontiers in Immunology, (2018); http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01016
Small molecule analogues of the parasitic worm product ES-62 interact with the TIR domain of MyD88 to inhibit pro-inflammatory signalling: Suckling Colin J., Alam Shahabuddin , Olson Mark A., Saikh Kamal U., Harnett Margaret M., Harnett William; Scientific Reports Vol 8, (2018); http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-20388-z
Evaluation of minor groove binders (MGBs) as novel anti-mycobacterial agents, and the effect of using non-ionic surfactant vesicles as a delivery system to improve their efficacy: Hlaka Lerato, Rosslee Michael-Jon, Ozturk Mumin, Kumar Santosh, Parihar Suraj, Brombacher Frank, Khalaf Abedawn, Carter Katharine, Scott Fraser, Suckling Colin, Guler Reto; Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Vol 72, pp. 3334–3341, (2017); http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkx326
An evaluation of minor groove binders as anti-fungal and anti-mycobacterial therapeutics: Scott Fraser J., Nichol Ryan J.O., Khalaf Abedawn I., Giordani Federica , Gillingwater Kirsten, Ramu Soumya, Elliott Alysha, Zuegg Johannes, Duffy Paula, Rosslee Michael-Jon, Hlaka Lerato, Kumar Santosh, Ozturk Mumin, Brombacher Frank, Barrett Michael, Guler Reto, Suckling Colin J.; European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Vol 136, pp. 561-572, (2017)
Inhibitory Kappa B kinase α (IKKα) inhibitors that recapitulate their selectivity in cells against isoform-related biomarkers: Anthony Nahoum G., Baiget Jessica, Berretta Giacomo, Boyd Marie, Breen David, Edwards Joanne, Gamble Carly, Gray Alexander I., Harvey Alan L., Hatziieremia Sophia, Ho Ka Ho, Huggan Judith K., Lang Stuart, Llona-Minguez Sabin, Luo Jia Lin, McIntosh Kathryn, Paul Andrew, Plevin Robin J., Robertson Murray N., Scott Rebecca, Suckling Colin J., Sutcliffe Oliver Brook, Young Louise C., MacKay Simon P.; Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Vol 60, pp. 7043-7066, (2017); http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00484
Dendritic cells provide a therapeutic target for synthetic small molecule analogues of the parasitic worm product, ES-62: Lumb Felicity E., Doonan James, Bell Kara S., Pineda Miguel A., Corbet Marlene, Suckling Colin J., Harnett Margaret M., Harnett William; Scientific Reports, (2017); http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01651-1

more publications

Professional activities

From blue sky research to big data- external perspectives on making knowledge work: Speaker; 6/2017
There's no escape - single target, multiple effects: Speaker; 3/2015
The antibacterial drug, MGB-BP-3, from discovery to clinical trial: Speaker; 2/2015
Drug discovery backwards -from biological activity to target: Speaker; 7/2014
Royal Society of Chemistry, North East Region: Invited speaker; 22/3/2011
International Conference on Chemistry for Mankind: Innovative Ideas in Life Sciences. ICCM-2011: Invited speaker; 9/2/2011

more professional activities

Projects

Knowledge Transfer Account | Borthwick, Jennifer Anne: Suckling, Colin (Principal Investigator) Jamieson, Craig (Co-investigator); Period 01-Dec-2010 - 22-Aug-2016
A new drug discovery pipeline for animal African trypanosomiasis / R150401-2: Suckling, Colin (Principal Investigator) Burley, Glenn (Co-investigator); Period 01-Apr-2016 - 31-Mar-2019
Knowledge Transfer Account | Hayhow, Thomas: Suckling, Colin (Principal Investigator); Period 01-Mar-2011 - 13-Oct-2014
Knowledge Transfer Account | Wellaway, Christopher: Kerr, William (Principal Investigator) Suckling, Colin (Co-investigator); Period 01-Dec-2009 - 15-Nov-2014
Knowledge Transfer Account | Diallo, Hawa: Suckling, Colin (Co-investigator); Period 01-Dec-2009 - 13-Oct-2014
Knowledge Transfer Account | Hardy, Charlotte: Kerr, William (Principal Investigator) Suckling, Colin (Co-investigator); Period 01-Dec-2009 - 30-Jun-2014

more projects

Address

Pure and Applied Chemistry
Thomas Graham Building

Location Map

View University of Strathclyde in a larger map

University of Strathclyde

My Saved Pages

My Saved Courses

Recently visited