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Kerry L. McPhail, Ph.D.

Thu, 08/16/2007 - 12:18pm — crawforc

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Contact Information

College of Pharmacy
Oregon State University
150 A Oak Creek Bldg.
3015 SW Western Boulevard
Corvallis, OR 97331
Phone: 541-737-5808
kerry.mcphail@oregonstate.edu

Education

Postdoctoral research in marine natural products chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, 2000-2002
Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 2000
B.Sc. Hons, Chemistry/Zoology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa 1996

Research

Kerry McPhail’s research is focused on the investigation of microbial natural products as anticancer, antiparasitic and antibacterial agents. Her current research program is focused on the chemistry of cyanobacteria from marine sources and from Pacific Northwest hot springs. Three main projects in this research area are:

  1. Synthesis and mechanism of action studies on a new, potent antiproliferative agent isolated from a Panamanian marine cyanobacterium. This anticancer lead compound and appropriate analogs will be tested in vivo by the National Cancer Institute once we have a synthetic source of the compound.
  2. Biologically active metabolites from unexplored Red Sea cyanobacteria. Numerous, unusual cyanobacteria have been collected from ship wrecks in the Red Sea. In collaboration with the Suez Canal University in Egypt, extracts of these cyanobacteria will be tested for anticancer, antiparasitic and antibacterial properties. Efforts are also underway to establish laboratory cultures of several of these cyanobacteria.
  3. Natural products chemistry of cyanobacteria from North West hotsprings. Several cyanobacterial strains have been collected and cultured from Oregon hot springs. Microscale approaches to solving molecular structure and configuration using NMR methods will be explored to access the chemistry of these organisms.

The McPhail laboratory also collaborates with the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology on a project to develop a new class of naturally-occurring herbicides for the control of grassy weeds.

Selected Publications

McPhail, K.L., Correa, J.C., Linington, R.G., González, J., Ortega-Barría, E.; Gerwick, W.H. “Antimalarial linear lipopeptides from the Panamanian strain of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula.” Journal of Natural Products 2007, 70, 984-988.

Kursar, T.A.; Caballero-George, C.; Capson, T.L.; Cubilla-Rios, L.; Gerwick, W.H.; Gupta, M.P.; Ibanez, A.; Linington, R.G.; McPhail, K.L.; Ortega-Barria, E.; Romero, L.I.; Solis, P.N.; Coley, P.D. “Securing Economic Benefits and Promoting Conservation through Bioprospecting.” Bioscience 2006, 56, 1005-1012.

Flatt, P.M., O’Connell, S.J., McPhail, K., Zeller, G., Willis, C., Gerwick, W.H. “Characterization of the Initial Enzymatic Steps of Barbamide Biosynthesis.” Journal of Natural Products 2006, 69, 938-944.

Simmons, T.L., McPhail, K.L., Ortega-Barría, E., Mooberry, S.L., Gerwick, W.H. “Belamide A, a new antimitotic tetrapeptide from a Panamanian marine cyanobacterium.” Tetrahedron Letters 2006, 47, 3387-3390.

Han, B., McPhail, K.L., Gross, H., Goeger, D., Mooberry, S.L., Gerwick, W.H. “Isolation and Structure of Five Lyngbyabellin Derivatives from a Papua New Guinea Collection of the Marine Cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula.” Tetrahedron 2005, 61, 11723-11729.

Andrianasolo, E. H., Gross, H., Goeger, D., Musafija-Girt, M., McPhail, K., Leal, R.M., Mooberry, S.L., Gerwick, W.H. "Isolation of Swinholide A and Related Glycosylated Derivatives from Two Field Collections of Marine Cyanobacteria." Organic Letters 2005, 7, 1375-1378.

Simmons, T. L., Andrianasolo, E., McPhail, K., Flatt, P., Gerwick, W.H. "Marine natural products as anticancer drugs." Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2005, 4, 333-342.

McPhail, K.L., France, D., Cornell-Kennon, S.; Gerwick, W.H. “Peyssonenynes A and B, Novel Enediyne Oxylipins with DNA Methyl Transferase Activity from the Red Marine Alga, Peyssonnelia caulifera.” Journal of Natural Products 2004, 67, 1010-1013.

Edwards, D.E., Marquez, B.L., Nogle, L.M., McPhail, K., Goeger, D.; Gerwick, W.H. “Structure, Biosynthesis and Biosynthetic Gene Cluster Characterization of the Jamaicamides, New Mixed NRPS/PKS Neurotoxins from the Marine Cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula.” Chemistry and Biology 2004, 11, 817-833.

Han, B., McPhail, K.L., Ligresti, A., Di Marzo, V.; Gerwick, W.H. “Semiplenamides A-G, Fatty Acid Amides from a Papua New Guinea Collection of the Marine Cyanobacterium Lyngbya semiplena.” Journal of Natural Products 2003, 66, 1364-1368.

McPhail, K.L.; Gerwick, W.H. “Three new malyngamides from a Papua New Guinea collection of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula,” Journal of Natural Products 2003, 66, 132-135.