Profile

Contact Details

Phone: +64 3 479 7324
Email: allan.gamble@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position: Associate Professor
Qualifications: PhD
Research summary: Synthetic and medicinal chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, drug delivery and chemical biology
Teaching: Allan teaches chemical biology, medicinal chemistry and analytical chemistry in the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences (BPharmSc) and Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) undergraduate programmes. He is paper coordinator for PSCI201 (Pharmaceutical Chemistry) and PSCI301 (Chemical Biology).
Memberships: Chair of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC) Otago branch and the Chair of NZIC-24, the institutes national biennial conference to be held in Dunedin on 24-28 November 2024.

Research

Allan Gamble's research interests are in bioorganic and medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and drug delivery, with external funding from various agencies including the Health Research Council (HRC), Marsden, Maurice Wilkins Centre, Breast Cancer Cure, Lotteries Health and Otago Medical Research Foundation.

Biography

Allan Gamble received his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Wollongong, under the supervision of Professor Paul Keller in 2008. He then moved to Canberra to take up a postdoctoral position in the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University with Professor Chris Easton where he worked on peptide hormone regulation in cancer.

In 2011, he was awarded an American-Australian Sir Keith Murdoch Postdoctoral Fellowship to work with Professor Paul Wender at Stanford University in the area of drug delivery.

In May 2012 he was appointed Lecturer in Medicinal Chemistry in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Otago, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2016 and in 2023 promoted to Associate Professor.

Allan Gamble’s recent awards include:

2023 The School of Pharmacy Research Excellence Award
2018 The University of Otago Early Career Award for Distinction in Research
2017 The School of Pharmacy Emerging Researcher Award
2016 The OUSA Health Sciences and New Supervisor of the Year Award

Additional details

Research group members

Baxter Blair (honours)
Thomi Brind (PhD)
Julia Camilli (PhD)
Dr Jessica Fairhall (Research Fellow)
Harry Lewin (PhD)
Dr Ian Liddle (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Shuaijiang Liu (Visiting Researcher)
Kerry Mei (master's)
Parul Rani (Assistant Research Fellow)
Kathy Sircombe (PhD)
Simon Su (PhD)
Chelsea Tyler (PhD)
Ke Wu (PhD)

Publications

Ross, C. L., Lawer, A., Sircombe, K. J., Pletzer, D., Gamble, A. B., & Hook, S. (2024). Site-specific antimicrobial activity of a dual-responsive ciprofloxacin prodrug. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00724 Journal - Research Article

Lawer, A., Tyler, C., Hards, K., Keighley, L. M., Cheung, C.-Y., Kierek, F., Su, S., … McInnes, T., Tyndall, J. D. A., Krause, K. L., Cook, G. M., & Gamble, A. B. (2022). Synthesis and biological evaluation of aurachin D analogues as inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cytochrome bd oxidase. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 13, 1663-1669. doi: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00401 Journal - Research Article

Fairhall, J. M., Camilli, J. C., Gibson, B. H., Hook, S., & Gamble, A. B. (2021). EGFR-targeted prodrug activation using bioorthogonal alkene-azide click-and-release chemistry. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 46, 116361. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116361 Journal - Research Article

Fairhall, J. M., Murayasu, M., Dadhwal, S., Hook, S., & Gamble, A. B. (2020). Tuning activation and self-immolative properties of the bioorthogonal alkene-azide click-and-release strategy. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, 18, 4754-4762. doi: 10.1039/d0ob00936a Journal - Research Article

Matikonda, S. S., Orsi, D. L., Staudacher, V., Jenkins, I. A., Fiedler, F., Chen, J., & Gamble, A. B. (2015). Bioorthogonal prodrug activation driven by a strain-promoted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Chemical Science, 6, 1212-1218. doi: 10.1039/c4sc02574a Journal - Research Article

Matikonda, S. S., Fairhall, J. M., Fiedler, F., Sanhajariya, S., Tucker, R. A. J., Hook, S., Garden, A. L., & Gamble, A. B. (2018). Mechanistic evaluation of bioorthogonal decaging with trans-cyclooctene: The effect of fluorine substituents on aryl azide reactivity and decaging from the 1,2,3-triazoline. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 29(2), 324-334. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00665 Journal - Research Article

Matikonda, S. S., Fairhall, J. M., Tyndall, J. D. A., Hook, S., & Gamble, A. B. (2017). Stability, kinetic, and mechanistic investigation of 1,8-self-immolative cinnamyl ether spacers for controlled release of phenols and generation of resonance and inductively stabilized methides. Organic Letters, 19(3), 528-531. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b03695 Journal - Research Article

Agbowuro, A. A., Mazraani, R., McCaughey, L. C., Huston, W. M., Gamble, A. B., & Tyndall, J. D. A. (2018). Stereochemical basis for the anti-chlamydial activity of the phosphonate protease inhibitor JO146. Tetrahedron, 74(12), 1184-1190. doi: 10.1016/j.tet.2017.10.031 Journal - Research Article

Spencer, E. S., Dale, E. J., Gommans, A. L., Rutledge, M. T., Vo, C. T., Nakatani, Y., Gamble, A. B., Smith, R. A. J., Wilbanks, S. M., Hampton, M. B., & Tyndall, J. D. A. (2015). Multiple binding modes of isothiocyanates that inhibit macrophage migration inhibitory factor. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 93, 501-510. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.02.012 Journal - Research Article

Bobbala, S., Gibson, B., Gamble, A. B., McDowell, A., & Hook, S. (2018). Poloxamer 407-chitosan grafted thermoresponsive hydrogels achieve synchronous and sustained release of antigen and adjuvant from single-shot vaccines. Immunology & Cell Biology, 96(6), 656-665. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12031 Journal - Research Article

Cao, F., Gamble, A. B., Onagi, H., Howes, J., Hennessy, J. E., Gu, C., … Easton, C. J. (2017). Detection of biosynthetic precursors, discovery of glycosylated forms, and homeostasis of calcitonin in human cancer cells. Analytical Chemistry, 89(13), 6992-6999. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b00457 Journal - Research Article

Agbowuro, A. A., Huston, W. M., Gamble, A. B., & Tyndall, J. D. A. (2018). Proteases and protease inhibitors in infectious diseases. Medicinal Research Reviews, 38(4), 1295-1331. doi: 10.1002/med.21475 Journal - Research Other

Chiluka, R., Gamble, A. B., Lucas, N. T., Hawkins, B. C., Bhumkar, A., Achanta, P. S., & Bobbala, R. K. (2016). Flavone C-glycosides from Trichuriella monsoniae (L.f.) Bennet. Natural Product Research. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2016.1149707 Journal - Research Article

Alimoradi, H., Matikonda, S. S., Gamble, A. B., Giles, G. I., & Greish, K. (2016). Hypoxia responsive drug delivery systems in tumor therapy. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 22(19), 2808-2820. Journal - Research Article

Morris, K. M., Cao, F., Onagi, H., Altamore, T. M., Gamble, A. B., & Easton, C. J. (2012). Prohormone-substrate peptide sequence recognition by peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase and its reflection in increased glycolate inhibitor potency. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 22, 7015-7018. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.10.004 Journal - Research Article

Gamble, A. B., & Keller, P. A. (2010). Synthesis of reaction-ready 6,6′-biindole and 6,6′-biisatin via palladium(II)-catalysed intramolecular C–H functionalisation. Chemical Communications, 46(23), 4076-4078. doi: 10.1039/C002098B Journal - Research Article

Cao, F., Gamble, A. B., Kim, H.-K., Onagi, H., Gresser, M. J., Kerr, J., & Easton, C. J. (2011). Potent and selective inhibitors of human peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase. MedChemComm, 2, 760-763. doi: 10.1039/c1md00079a Journal - Research Article

Gamble, A. B., Garner, J., Gordon, C. P., O'Conner, S. M. J., & Keller, P. A. (2007). Aryl nitro reduction with iron powder or stannous chloride under ultrasonic irradiation. Synthetic Communications, 37(16), 2777-2786. doi: 10.1080/00397910701481195 Journal - Research Article

Locke, J. M., Stutchbury, T. K., Vine, K. L., Gamble, A. B., Clingan, P. R., Bremner, J. B., & Ranson, M. (2009). Development and assessment of novel all-in-one parenteral formulations with integrated anticoagulant properties for the concomitant delivery of 5-fluorouracil and calcium folinate. Anti-Cancer Drugs, 20(9), 822-831. doi: 10.1097/CAD.0b013e32832fd78e Journal - Research Article

Alimoradi, H., Matikonda, S. S., Gamble, A. B., Giles, G. I., & Greish, K. (2017). Redox activated polymeric nanoparticles in tumor therapy. In E. Andronescu & A. M. Grumezescu (Eds.), Nanostructures for drug delivery. (pp. 327-354). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-46143-6.00010-5 Chapter in Book - Research

Paterson, D. A., Fong, W.-K., Hook, S., & Gamble, A. B. (2021). Hydrogen sulfide-responsive bicontinuous nanospheres. Biomacromolecules, 22, 4770-4782. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c01070 Journal - Research Article

Dadhwal, S., Fairhall, J. M., Goswami, S. K., Hook, S., & Gamble, A. B. (2019). Alkene-azide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition as a trigger for ultrashort peptide hydrogel dissolution. Chemistry: An Asian Journal, 14, 1143-1150. doi: 10.1002/asia.201801184 Journal - Research Article

Liu, S.-J., Zhao, Q., Liu, X.-C., Gamble, A. B., Huang, W., Yang, Q.-Q., & Han, B. (2024). Bioactive atropisomers: Unraveling design strategies and synthetic routes for drug discovery [Review]. Medicinal Research Reviews. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/med.22037 Journal - Research Article

Putha, L., Kok, L. K., Fellner, M., Rutledge, M. T., Gamble, A. B., Wilbanks, S. M., Vernall, A. J., & Tyndall, J. D. A. (2024). Covalent isothiocyanate inhibitors of macrophage migration inhibitory factor as potential colorectal cancer treatments. ChemMedChem. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.202400394 Journal - Research Article

Hwang, J., Strange, N., Mazraani, R., Phillips, M. J., Gamble, A. B., Huston, W. M., & Tyndall, J. D. A. (2022). Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of P2-modified proline analogues targeting the HtrA serine protease in Chlamydia. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.114064 Journal - Research Article

Ooi, J. M. F., Fairhall, J. M., Spangler, B., Chong, D. J. W., Feng, B. Y., Gamble, A. B., & Hook, S. (2022). Development of a bioorthogonal fluorescence-based assay for assessing drug uptake and delivery in bacteria. RSC Advances, 12, 15631-15642. doi: 10.1039/d2ra02272a Journal - Research Article

Hwang, J., Mros, S., Gamble, A. B., Tyndall, J. D. A., & McDowell, A. (2022). Improving antibacterial activity of a HtrA protease inhibitor JO146 against Helicobacter pylori: A novel approach using microfluidics-engineered PLGA nanoparticles. Pharmaceutics, 14(2), 348. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020348 Journal - Research Article

Lee, A., Dadhwal, S., & Gamble, A. (2022). Liposomes with cyclodextrin channels and polyethyleneimine (PEI) improves cytoplasmic vaccine delivery and induces anti-cancer immune activity in mice. Journal of Liposome Research, 32(1), 22-31. doi: 10.1080/08982104.2020.1831016 Journal - Research Article

Alimoradi, H., Thomas, A., Lyth, D. D. B., Barzegar-Fallah, A., Matikonda, S. S., Gamble, A. B., & Giles, G. I. (2022). SMA-BmobaSNO: An intelligent photoresponsive nitric oxide releasing polymer for drug nanoencapsulation and targeted delivery. Nanotechnology, 33, 195101. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac4eb0 Journal - Research Article

Hwang, J., Strange, N., Phillips, M. J. A., Krause, A. L., Heywood, A., Gamble, A. B., … Tyndall, J. D. A. (2021). Optimization of peptide-based inhibitors targeting the HtrA serine protease in Chlamydia: Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of pyridone-based and N-Capping group-modified analogues. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 224(113692). doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113692 Journal - Research Article

Edupuganti, V. V. S. R., Tyndall, J. D. A., & Gamble, A. B. (2021). Self-immolative linkers in prodrugs and antibody drug conjugates in cancer treatment. Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery, 16(4), 479-497. doi: 10.2174/1574892816666210509001139 Journal - Research Other

Badart, M. P., Barnes, E. M., Cording, A. P., Gilmer, S. C. L., Billinghurst, I. D., Edupuganti, V. V. S. R., … Bland, A. R., Bower, R. L., Rana, Z., Ferguson, S. A., Opel Reading, H. K., Cook, G. M., Rosengren, R. J., Krause, K. L., Gamble, A. B., Ashton, J. C., & Hawkins, B. C. (2021). Synthesis and biological evaluation of (-) and (+)-spiroleucettadine and analogues. ChemMedChem, 16, 1308-1315. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.202000954 Journal - Research Article

Dadhwal, S., Lee, A., Goswami, S. K., Hook, S., & Gamble, A. B. (2021). Synthesis and formulation of self-immolative PEG-aryl azide block copolymers and click-to-release reactivity with trans-cyclooctene. Journal of Polymer Science, 59, 646-658. doi: 10.1002/pol.20210020 Journal - Research Article

Li, X., Ren, B., Xie, X., Tian, Z., Chen, F.-Y., Gamble, A. B., & Han, B. (2020). Regiodivergent synthesis of aza-quaternary carbon derivatives from pyrazolinone ketimines and 1,2-dihydroquinolines. Tetrahedron Letters, 61, 152055. doi: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2020.152055 Journal - Research Article

Dadhwal, S., Fairhall, J. M., Hook, S., & Gamble, A. B. (2020). Tetrafluoroaryl azide as an N-terminal capping group for click-to-dissolve diphenylalanine hydrogels. RSC Advances, 10(16), 9234-9244. doi: 10.1039/d0ra01013h Journal - Research Article

Chakraborty, A. D., Gonano, L. A., Munro, M. L., Smith, L. J., Thekkedam, C., Staudacher, V., Gamble, A. B., … Jones, P. P. (2019). Activation of RyR2 by class I kinase inhibitors. British Journal of Pharmacology, 176, 773-786. doi: 10.1111/bph.14562 Journal - Research Article

Alimoradi, H., Greish, K., Gamble, A. B., & Giles, G. I. (2019). Controlled delivery of nitric oxide for cancer therapy. Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, 7(4), 279-303. doi: 10.2174/2211738507666190429111306 Journal - Research Other

Agbowuro, A. A., Hwang, J., Peel, E., Mazraani, R., Springwald, A., Marsh, J. W., … Gamble, A. B., … Tyndall, J. D. A. (2019). Structure-activity analysis of peptidic Chlamydia HtrA inhibitors. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 27, 4185-4199. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.07.049 Journal - Research Article

Abel, S. D. A., Dadhwal, S., Gamble, A. B., & Baird, S. K. (2018). Honey reduces the metastatic characteristics of prostate cancer cell lines by promoting a loss of adhesion. PeerJ, 6, e5115. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5115 Journal - Research Article

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