Dr. Helen Sheldrake,Assistant Professor
Information about Dr. Helen Sheldrake at the University of Bradford.
- School of Pharmacy & Medical Sciences
(Faculty of Life Sciences) - Email:
- h.sheldrake@bradford.ac.uk
- Telephone:
- +44 1274 236858
Biography
Helen Sheldrake studied Natural Sciences followed by a PhDin natural product synthesis at the University of Cambridge. After postdoctoralwork at The University of Manchester, she joined the Institute of CancerTherapeutics, University of Bradford as a RCUK Academic Fellow in MedicinalChemistry. She is now a Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and MedicalSciences, and School Health and Safety Lead.Research
New synthetic methods for biologically active/druglike molecules. Design and synthesis of integrin antagonists. Total synthesis.The integrins are a family of transmembrane receptors which mediatecell-cell and cell-ECM adhesion, and signalling across the cell membraneinvolved in pathways controlling cell migration, proliferation,differentiation, cell survival and apoptosis. In cancers, their vital role in the cross-talk between the cell and extracellular matrix enhancesthe growth, migration, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. The RGD-bindingsubfamily of integrins are of particular interest as anticancer targets, sincethere is strong evidence that their expression in cancers is correlated with tumour progression,treatment resistance, and a cancer stem cell phenotype. Research areas currently under investigationinclude:
- Synthesis and characterisation of new integrintargeting small molecules for the treatment of advanced cancers, particularlymetastatic prostate cancer and malignant melanoma.
- Development of personalised anti-integrinagents: Identification of the optimum combination of integrins to target foreffective treatment of a particular tumour.
- Investigation of combination therapies tocombat integrin-mediated resistance to existing anticancer agents.
Outside the integrin area, I am interested in the synthesis of biologically active natural products, and derivatives.
If you are interested in applying for a PhD or postdoc in one of these areas, please contact me directly.
Research projects
| Role | Date | Title/description | Funder | Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PI | ||||
| PI |
Research collaborators
| Name | Company | Country | Type | Role | Theme | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INTERNAL | New applications of integrin modulating small molecules | |||||
| INTERNAL | Synthesis and characterisation of novel antibiotic prodrugs |
Contract researchers
| Name | Role | Project | Duration | Funding body |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Assistant | Design, Synthesis and Applications of Chiral Cyclobutanes | 2009-2011 | ||
| Research Assistant | Development of dual beta3 integrin antagonists as a novel anti-metastatic therapeutic for castration-resistant prostate cancer | 2011-2012 |
Teaching
Details on teaching interests, highlights and modules are available for Dr. Helen Sheldrake as follows:
Teaching interests
Current teaching activities:Phase Leader: head of Clinical Sciences BSc Years 1 + 2Module Leader: CLS3004-B Chemistry for Clinical Sciences, CLS5013-B Pharmacology and Therapeutics, CLS6001-B Clinical Pharmacology, LIS7022-B Critical Appraisal
Lecturer: Principles of Drug Discovery; Case Studies in Drug Discovery; Preclinical Models for Drug Evaluation; Practical Skills in Research; Research projects; Personal tutor Clinical Sciences years 1-3
Previous teaching highlights:
Programme leader: MSc Cancer Pharmacology 2015-2019
Lecturer: Biological Organic Chemistry
Practical class leader: Chemistry for Engineers
Professional activities
Information about education, employment and areas of particular interest for Dr. Helen Sheldrake is as follows:
Employment
- University of Bradford - RCUK Academic Fellow in Medicinal Chemistry in the year 2007 (specified as 01/01/2007)
- The University of Manchester - Postdoctoral Research Associate in the year 2004 (specified as 01/01/2004)
Education
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- University of Cambridge - PhD
- University of Cambridge - MSci
Publications
There are 21 publications involving or that are attributed to Dr. Helen Sheldrake. They are listed as:
- peer reviewed journal (16)
- reviews (5)
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reduction of Propargylic Sulfones to (Z)-Allylic Sulfones using Zinc and Ammonium Chloride. | 2007 | Sheldrake, Helen M.; Wallace, T.W. | |||||||||
| Rapid stereoselective access to the tetracyclic core of puupehenone and related sponge metabolites using metal-free radical cyclisations of cyclohexenyl-substituted 3-bromochroman-4-ones. | 2008 | Pritchard, R.P.; Sheldrake, Helen M.; Taylor, I.Z.; Wallace, T.W. | |||||||||
| Synthesis of the originally proposed structure of elatenyne and an enyne from Laurencia majuscula | 2009 | Sheldrake, Helen M.; Jamieson, C.; Pascu, S.I.; Burton, J.W. | |||||||||
| Function and Antagonism of beta3 integrins in the development of cancer therapy | 2009 | Sheldrake, Helen M.; Patterson, Laurence H. | |||||||||
| Chemical and Biological Explorations of the Family of CC-1065 and the Duocarmycin Natural Products. | 2009 | Ghosh, Nandita; Sheldrake, Helen M.; Searcey, M.; Pors, Klaus | |||||||||
| Modification of the duocarmycin pharmacophore enables CYP1A1 targeting for biological activity | 2011 | Pors, Klaus; Loadman, Paul M.; Shnyder, Steven D.; Sutherland, Mark H.; Sheldrake, Helen M.; Guino, M.; Kiakos, K.; Hartley, J.A.; Searcey, M.; Patterson, Laurence H. | |||||||||
| Antitumor activity of a duocarmycin analogue rationalized to be metabolically activated by cytochrome P450 1A1 in human transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder | 2013 | Sutherland, Mark H.; Gill, Jason H.; Loadman, Paul M.; Laye, Jonathan P.; Sheldrake, Helen M.; Illingworth, Nicola A.; Alandas, Mohammed N.; Cooper, Patricia A.; Searcey, M.; Pors, Klaus; Shnyder, Steven D.; Patterson, Laurence H. | |||||||||
| Colon cancer-specific cytochrome P450 2W1 converts duocarmycin analogues into potent tumor cytotoxins | 2013 | Travica, S.; Pors, Klaus; Loadman, Paul M.; Shnyder, Steven D.; Johansson, I.; Alandas, Mohammed N.; Sheldrake, Helen M.; Mkrtchian, S.; Patterson, Laurence H.; Ingelman-Sundberg, M. | |||||||||
| Intramolecular thermal stepwise [2 + 2] cycloadditions: investigation of a stereoselective synthesis of [n.2.0]-bicyclolactones | 2016 | Throup, Adam; Patterson, Laurence H.; Sheldrake, Helen M. | |||||||||
| Solid-phase synthesis of duocarmycin analogues and the effect of C-terminal substitution on biological activity | 2015 | Stephenson, M.J.; Howell, L.A.; O'Connell, M.A.; Fox, K.R.; Adcock, C.; Kingston, J.; Sheldrake, Helen M.; Pors, Klaus; Collingwood, S.P.; Searcey, M. | |||||||||
| Strategies to inhibit tumour associated integrin receptors: rationale for dual and multi-antagonists | 2014 | Sheldrake, Helen M.; Patterson, Laurence H. | |||||||||
| Re-engineering of the Duocarmycin Structural Architecture Enables Bioprecursor Development Targeting CYP1A1 and CYP2W1 for Biological Activity | 2013 | Sheldrake, Helen M.; Travica, S.; Johansson, I.; Loadman, Paul M.; Sutherland, Mark H.; Elsalem, Lina M.I.; Illingworth, Nicola A.; Cresswell, Alexander J.; Reuillon, Tristan; Shnyder, Steven D.; Mkrtchian, S.; Searcey, M.; Ingelman-Sundberg, M.; Patterson, Laurence H.; Pors, Klaus | |||||||||
| RGD-Binding Integrins in Head and Neck Cancers | 2017 | Ahmedah, H.T.; Patterson, Laurence H.; Shnyder, Steven D.; Sheldrake, Helen M. | |||||||||
| Exploration of [2 + 2 + 2] cyclotrimerisation methodology to prepare tetrahydroisoquinoline-based compounds with potential aldo-keto reductase 1C3 target affinity | 2019 | MedChemComm | 10 | 1476 - 1480 | Santos A.;Sheldrake H.;Ibrahim A.;Danta C.;Bonanni D.;Daga M.;Oliaro-Bosso S.;Boschi D.;Lolli M.;Pors K. | 2040-2503 | 10.1039/c9md00201d | ||||
| Probing cytochrome P450 (CYP) bioactivation with chloromethylindoline bioprecursors derived from the duocarmycin family of compounds. | 2021 | Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry | 40 | Ortuzar N;Karu K;Presa D;Morais GR;Sheldrake HM;Shnyder SD;Barnieh FM;Loadman PM;Patterson LH;Pors K;Searcey M; | 1464-3391 | 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116167 | |||||
| Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Cyclobutane-Based β3 Integrin Antagonists: A Novel Approach to Targeting Integrins for Cancer Therapy | 2023 | Cancers | 15 | Mark Sutherland, Andrew Gordon, Fatemah OFO Al-Shammari, Adam Throup, Amy Cilia La Corte, Helen Philippou, Steven D Shnyder, Laurence H Patterson, Helen M Sheldrake | https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15164023 |
Reviews
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategies to inhibit tumor associated integrin receptors: Rationale for dual and multi-antagonists | 2014 | Journal of Medicinal Chemistry | 57 | 6301 - 6315 | Sheldrake H.;Patterson L. | 0022-2623 | 10.1021/jm5000547 | ||||
| RGD-binding integrins in prostate cancer: Expression patterns and therapeutic prospects against bone metastasis | 2012 | Cancers | 4 | 1106 - 1145 | Sutherland M.;Gordon A.;Shnyder S.;Patterson L.;Sheldrake H. | 2072-6694 | 10.3390/cancers4041106 | ||||
| RGD-binding integrins in head and neck cancers | 2017 | Cancers | 9 | Ahmedah H.;Patterson L.;Shnyder S.;Sheldrake H. | 2072-6694 | 10.3390/cancers9060056 | |||||
| Chemical and biological explorations of the family of CC-1065 and the duocarmycin natural products | 2009 | Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry | 9 | 1494 - 1524 | Ghosh N.;Sheldrake H.;Searcey M.;Pors K. | 1568-0266 | 10.2174/156802609789909812 | ||||
| Function and antagonism of β |
2009 | Current Cancer Drug Targets | 9 | 519 - 540 | Sheldrake H.;Patterson L. | 1568-0096 | 10.2174/156800909788486713 |