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Professor Peter J Scammells

Photo of Prof Scammells

Head of Medicinal Chemistry
Co-theme leader, Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

BSc Griffith University
PhD Griffith University

Phone: +61 3 9903 9542
Fax: +61 3 9903 9582
Email: peter.scammells@pharm.monash.edu.au

Co-theme Leader, Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Research interests

  • The development of adenosine agonists as antiarrhythmic agents
  • The design and synthesis of allosteric enhancers of adenosine as cardioprotective agents
  • The synthesis and study of bivalent and polyvalent ligands
  • New syntheses of pharmaceutical opiates
  • Novel p38 MAPK inhibitors as anti-inflammatory agents
  • Applications of ionic liquids in pharmaceutical synthesis

Education

  • VPS1022 Organic Chemistry II
  • VPS2121 Synthetic Chemistry I (unit coordinator)
  • VPS3011 Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry

Representative publications

  1. Kok GB, Ashton TD, Scammells PJ. An Improved Process for the N-Demethylation of Opiate Alkaloids Using Tetrasodium 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-sulfophenyl)porphyrinatoiron(II) in Acetate Buffer. Adv Syn Cat. 2009; 351:283-286.
  2. El-Sous M,  Hawkins BC, Hirner S, Holloway G, Khoo ML, Scammells PJ, et.al. Total Synthesis of the Potent Anticancer Aglaia Metabolites (-)-Silvestrol and (-)-Episilvestrol and the Active Analogue (-)-4’-Desmethyloxyepisilvestrol. J Am Chem Soc. 2009; 131:1607-1616.
  3. Karellas P, McNaughton M, Baker SP, Scammells PJ. Synthesis of Bivalent β2 Adrenergic and A1 Adenosine Receptor Ligands. J Med Chem. 2008; 51:6128-6137.
  4. Valant C, Gregory KJ, Hall NE, Scammells PJ, Lew MJ, Sexton PM, et.al. A Novel Mechanism of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Functional Selectivity: McN-A-343 as a Bitopic Orthosteric / Allosteric Ligand. J Biol Chem. 2008, 283:29312-29321.
  5. Ferguson GN, Valant C, Horne J, Figler H, Flynn BL, Scammells PJ, et.al. 2-Aminothienopyridazines as Novel A1 Adenosine Receptor Allosteric Modulators and Antagonists. J Med Chem. 2008; 51:6165-6172.
  6. Halim R, Scammells PJ, Flynn BL. Iodine Induced Reaction Cascades to Access Structurally Diverse Molecular Scaffolds containing Indole and Quinoline Core. Org Lett. 2008; 10: 1967.
  7. Devine SM, Scammells PJ. An Efficient Convergent Synthesis of Adenosine 5¢ -N-alkyluronamides. Tetrahedron. 2008; 64:1772-1777.
  8. Dong Z, Scammells PJ. New Methodology for the N-Demethylation of Opiate Alkaloids. J Org Chem. 2007; 72:9881-9885.
  9. El Sous M, Khoo ML, Holloway G, Owen D, Scammells PJ, Rizzacasa MA, et.al. Total Synthesis of (–)-Episilvestrol and (–)-Silvestrol. Angew Chem. 2007; 46:7835-7838.
  10. Aumann KM, Scammells PJ, White JM, Schiesser CH. On the Stability of 2-Aminoselenophene-3-carboxylates: Potential Dual–Acting Selenium–Containing Allosteric Enhancers of A1 Adenosine Receptor Binding. Org Biomol Chem. 2007; 5:1276-1281.
  11. Hutchinson SA, Scammells PJ. A1 Adenosine Receptor Agonists: Medicinal Chemistry and Therapeutic Potential. Curr Pharm Design. 2004; 10:2021-2039.
  12. McCamley K, Ripper JA, Singer RD, Scammells PJ. Efficient N-Demethylation of Opiate Alkaloids using a Modified Non-Classical Polonovski Reaction J Org Chem. 2003; 68:9847-9850.
  13. Gathergood N, Scammells PJ. Preparation of the 4-Hydroxytryptamine Scaffold via a Palladium Catalyzed Cyclization: Synthesis of Psilocyn. Organic Lett. 2003; 5:921-923.
  14. Lütjens H, Zickgraf A, Figler H, Linden J, Olsson RA, Scammells PJ. 2-Amino-3-benzoylthiophene Allosteric Enhancers of A1 Adenosine Agonist Binding: New 3, 4- and 5-Modifications. J Med Chem. 2003; 46:1870-1877.
  15. Tranberg CE, Zickgraf A, Giunta BN, Lütjens H, Figler H, Falke R, et.al. 2-Amino-3-aroyl-4,5-dimethylthiophenes: Agonist Allosteric Enhancers at A1 Adenosine Receptors. J Med Chem. 2002; 45:382-389.
  16. Singer RD, Scammells PJ. Alternative Methods for the MnO2 Oxidation of Codeine Methyl Ether to Thebaine Utilizing Ionic Liquids. Tetrahedron Lett. 2001; 42:6831-6833.
  17. Beauglehole AR, Baker SP, Scammells PJ. Fluorosulfonyl Substituted Xanthines as Selective Irreversible Antagonists for the A1 Adenosine Receptor. J Med Chem. 2000; 43:4973-4980.
  18. L Belardinelli, Shryock JC, Zhang Y, Scammells PJ, Olsson RA, Denis D, et.al. 1,3-Dipropyl-8-[2-(5,6-epoxy)norbornyl]xanthine, a Potent, Specific and A1 Selective Adenosine Receptor Antagonist in the Guinea Pig Heart and Brain. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1995; 275:1167-1176.
  19. Scammells PJ, Baker SP, Olsson RA, Belardinelli L. 8-Substituted 1,3-Dipropylxanthines as Irreversible Adenosine Antagonists, J Med Chem. 1994; 37:2704-2712.
  20. Harden FA, Quinn RJ, Scammells PJ. Synthesis and Adenosine Receptor Affinity of a Series of Pyrazolo[3,4‑d]pyrimidine Analogues of 1-Methylisoguanosine. J Med Chem. 1991; 34:2892-2898.

External appointments

  • Australian Journal of Chemistry External Advisory Board
  • Monash Management Committee Representative and CI, ARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology
  • Adjunct Professor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University