Shane Hickey

Research Interests

Antimicrobial Resistance Cancer Therapy Chemical Sciences Drug discovery

Dr Shane Hickey

Lecturer

School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr Hickey is a teaching-research academic who leads the Synthesis of Biologically Active Molecules research group. His research lies at the interface of chemistry and biology and is particuarly interested in the lipid metabolic pathway and how its dysregulation is associated with several disease states. His research program is comprised of three main areas:
1) Develop new chemistry methodologies to synthesise biologically useful molecules with new functional group modifications.
2) Prepare novel organic and inorganic molecules suitable for live cellular imaging to better understand mechanisms which underpin disease and;
3) Design and synthesise new compounds that demonstrate anticancer, antimicrobial and antiviral therapeutic potential.
To support his research program, Dr Hickey has partnered with collaborators from academia and industry, both nationally and internationally, that has resulted securing grant funding, publications, student supervisions and end-stage industry outcomes.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing Lecturer in Chemistry University of South Australia
2024 - 2025 Funding Specialist Whitney Consulting
2023 - 2024 Senior Chemist Biosensis Pty. Ltd.
2021 - 2025 Research Fellow University of South Australia
2015 - 2020 Research Associate University of South Australia

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
2017 - 2018 University of Adelaide Australia Master of Teaching
2012 - 2015 Deakin University Australia Doctor of Philosophy
2008 - 2011 Deakin University Australia Bachelor of Forensic Science (Honours)

Year Citation
2025 Hindes, M. T., McElligott, A. M., Best, O. G., Ward, M. P., Selemidis, S., Miles, M. A., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2025). Metabolic reprogramming, malignant transformation and metastasis: Lessons from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and prostate cancer. Cancer Letters, 611(217441), 217441-1-217441-18.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC3
2025 Nitschke, S. O., Awad, M., Elliott, A. G., Lowe, G., Leigh, C., Neubauer, K., . . . Plush, S. E. (2025). Eradication of MRSA biofilms using amphiphilic cationic coumarin derivatives. Rsc Advances, 15(31), 25510-25513.
DOI
2025 Lam, G., Martini, C., Sorvina, A., Hickey, S., Hindes, M., Waugh, D., . . . Logan, J. (2025). Implications of Altered Endosomal-Lysosomal Biogenesis in Melanoma Pathogenesis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(20, article no. 10113), 1-15.
DOI
2025 Li, K. L., Hickey, S. M., Albrecht, H., Logan, J. M., Lazniewska, J., Moore, C. R., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2025). Targeting prostate cancer cells using anti-sortilin and anti-syndecan-1 antibody drug conjugates. International Journal Of Molecular Sciences, 26(22, article no. 11145), 25 pages.
DOI
2024 Logan, J. M., Martini, C., Sorvina, A., Johnson, I. R. D., Brooks, R. D., Caruso, M. C., . . . Ung, B. S. -Y. (2024). Reinterpretation of prostate cancer pathology by Appl1, Sortilin and Syndecan-1 biomarkers. Scientific data, 11(1), 852-1-852-10.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2024 Schwehr, B. J., Hartnell, D., Ellison, G., Hindes, M. T., Milford, B., Dallerba, E., . . . Hackett, M. J. (2024). Fluorescent probes for neuroscience: imaging ex vivo brain tissue sections. Analyst, 149(18), 4536-4552.
DOI Scopus1 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2024 Nturubika, B. D., Guardia, C. M., Gershlick, D. C., Logan, J. M., Martini, C., Heatlie, J. K., . . . Johnson, I. R. D. (2024). Altered expression of vesicular trafficking machinery in prostate cancer affects lysosomal dynamics and provides insight into the underlying biology and disease progression. British Journal of Cancer, 131(8), 1263-1278.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2024 Tang, J., Lam, G. T., Brooks, R. D., Miles, M., Useckaite, Z., Johnson, I. R., . . . Logan, J. M. (2024). Exploring the role of sporadic BRAF and KRAS mutations during colorectal cancer pathogenesis: A spotlight on the contribution of the endosome-lysosome system. Cancer Letters, 585(216639), 216639-1-216639-9.
DOI Scopus9 WoS11 Europe PMC11
2024 Bader, C. A., Simpson, P. V., Dallerba, E., Stagni, S., Johnson, I. R. D., Hickey, S. M., . . . Plush, S. E. (2024). Synthesis and cellular uptake of neutral rhenium(i) morpholine complexes. Dalton Transactions, 53(7), 3407-3413.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2023 Martini, C., Logan, J. M., Sorvina, A., Gordon, C., Beck, A. R., S-Y Ung, B., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2023). Aberrant protein expression of Appl1, Sortilin and Syndecan-1 during the biological progression of prostate cancer. Pathology, 55(1), 40-51.
DOI Scopus19 WoS18 Europe PMC18
2023 Hickey, S. M., Johnson, I. R. D., Dallerba, E., Hackett, M. J., Massi, M., Lazniewska, J., . . . Ashton, T. D. (2023). A fluorescent and solvatochromic 1,8-naphthalimide probe for detection of lipid droplet trafficking and biogenesis. Dyes and Pigments, 217(111382), 111382-1-111382-6.
DOI Scopus11 WoS11
2023 Logan, J. M., Hopkins, A. M., Martini, C., Sorvina, A., Tewari, P., Prabhakaran, S., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2023). Prediction of Prostate Cancer Biochemical and Clinical Recurrence Is Improved by IHC-Assisted Grading Using Appl1, Sortilin and Syndecan-1.. Cancers, 15(12), 1-12.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2023 Sorvina, A., Martini, C., Prabhakaran, S., Logan, J. M., Ung, B. S. Y., Moore, C., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2023). Appl1, Sortilin and Syndecan-1 immunohistochemistry on intraductal carcinoma of the prostate provides evidence of retrograde spread. Pathology, 55(6), 792-799.
DOI Scopus10 WoS10 Europe PMC9
2023 Lam, G. T., Sorvina, A., Martini, C., Prabhakaran, S., Ung, B. S. Y., Lazniewska, J., . . . Logan, J. M. (2023). Altered endosomal-lysosomal biogenesis in melanoma. Neoplasia, 43(100924), 1-10.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2023 Lazniewska, J., Li, K. L., Johnson, I. R. D., Sorvina, A., Logan, J. M., Martini, C., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2023). Dynamic interplay between sortilin and syndecan-1 contributes to prostate cancer progression. Scientific reports, 13(1, article no. 13489), 1-18.
DOI Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC10
2023 Lam, G. T., Martini, C., Brooks, T., Prabhakaran, S., Hopkins, A. M., Ung, B. S. -Y., . . . Logan, J. M. (2023). Insights into Melanoma Clinical Practice: A Perspective for Future Research. Cancers, 15(18), 4631-1-4631-9.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2023 Martini, C., Logan, J. M., Sorvina, A., Prabhakaran, S., Ung, B. S. Y., Johnson, I. R. D., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2023). Distinct patterns of biomarker expression for atypical intraductal proliferations in prostate cancer. Virchows Archiv, 485(4), 723-728.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2023 Martini, C., Logan, J. M., Sorvina, A., Prabhakaran, S., Ung, B. S. Y., Johnson, I. R. D., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2023). Publisher Correction to: Distinct patterns of biomarker expression for atypical intraductal proliferations in prostate cancer (Virchows Archiv, (2023), 10.1007/s00428-023-03643-1). Virchows Archiv, 487(1), 245.
DOI
2023 Miles, M. A., Liong, S., Liong, F., Coward Smith, M., Trollope, G. S., Oseghale, O., . . . Selemidis, S. (2023). TLR7 promotes chronic airway disease in RSV-infected mice. Frontiers In Immunology, 14, 1-21.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC6
2023 Baghapour, S., Nehema, J., Zhang, W. Q., Warren-Smith, S. C., Hickey, S. M., Plush, S. E., & Afshar Vahid, S. (2023). Surface Functionalised Optical Fibre for Detection of Hydrogen Sulphide. Biosensors, 13(11), 949-1-949-16.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2022 Lam, G. T., Prabhakaran, S., Sorvina, A., Martini, C., Ung, B. S. Y., Karageorgos, L., . . . Logan, J. M. (2022). Pitfalls in cutaneous melanoma diagnosis and the need for new reliable markers. Molecular Diagnosis and Therapy, 27(1), 49-60.
DOI Scopus15 WoS14 Europe PMC12
2022 Hickey, S. M., Ung, B., Bader, C., Brooks, R., Lazniewska, J., Johnson, I. R. D., . . . Brooks, D. A. (2022). Fluorescence microscopy-an outline of hardware, biological handling, and fluorophore considerations. Cells, 11(35), 1-32.
DOI Scopus89 WoS70 Europe PMC48
2022 Johnson, I. R. D., Rudebeck, E. E., Sweetman, M. J., Sorvina, A., Ashton, T. D., Pfeffer, F. M., . . . Hickey, S. M. (2022). A 3,4-dimethoxy-1,8-naphthalimide for lipid droplet imaging in live and fixed cells. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 365(131921), 131921-1-131921-7.
DOI Scopus12 WoS9
2022 Alshabrawy, A. K., Cui, Y., Sylvester, C., Yang, D., Petito, E. S., Barratt, K. R., . . . Anderson, P. H. (2022). Therapeutic Potential of a Novel Vitamin D3 Oxime Analogue, VD1-6, with CYP24A1 Enzyme Inhibitory Activity and Negligible Vitamin D Receptor Binding. Biomolecules, 12(7), 1-14.
DOI Scopus7 WoS8 Europe PMC8
2022 Lazniewska, J., Bader, C., Hickey, S. M., Selemidis, S., OLeary, J., Simpson, P. V., . . . Brooks, D. (2022). Rhenium(I) conjugates as tools for tracking cholesterol in cells. Metallomics, 14(8, article no. mfac040), 1-15.
DOI Scopus4 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2022 Boer, G. E., Hickey, S. M., Elliott, A. G., & Pfeffer, F. M. (2022). Synthesis of 2-[2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-3-(acyl)guanidino]ethylamine salts for convergent introduction of acyl guanidines. New Journal of Chemistry, 46(17), 8131-8137.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2022 Revesz, I. A., Hickey, S. M., & Sweetman, M. J. (2022). Metal ion sensing with graphene quantum dots: detection of harmful contaminants and biorelevant species. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 10(23), 4346-4362.
DOI Scopus37 WoS34 Europe PMC12
2022 Boer, G. E., Hickey, S. M., Elliott, A. G., & Pfeffer, F. M. (2022). Norbornane-based antibacterial agents: Benzyl and benzoyl substituted guanidines. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Reports, 6(100089), 12 pages.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2021 Day, C. M., Sweetman, M. J., Hickey, S. M., Song, Y., Liu, Y., Zhang, N., . . . Garg, S. (2021). Concept design, development and preliminary physical and chemical characterization of tamoxifen-guided-mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Molecules, 26(1, article no. 219), 1-15.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC5
2021 Alshabrawy, A. K., Bergamin, A., Sharma, D. K., Hickey, S. M., Brooks, D. A., O'Loughlin, P., . . . Anderson, P. H. (2021). LC-MS/MS analysis of vitamin D₃ metabolites in human serum using a salting-out based liquid-liquid extraction and DAPTAD derivatization. Journal of Chromatography B: Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences, 1173(122654), 122654-1-122654-9.
DOI Scopus14 WoS13 Europe PMC9
2021 Lazniewska, J., Agostino, M., Hickey, S. M., Parkinson Lawrence, E., Stagni, S., Massi, M., . . . Plush, S. E. (2021). Spectroscopic and molecular docking study of the interaction between neutral Re(I) tetrazolate complexes and bovine serum albumin. Chemistry: A European Journal, Online(44), 1-22.
DOI Scopus14 WoS12 Europe PMC8
2021 Gillam, T. A., Caporale, C., Brooks, R. D., Bader, C. A., Sorvina, A., Werrett, M. V., . . . Plush, S. E. (2021). Neutral Re(I) complex platform for live intracellular imaging. Inorganic Chemistry, 60(14), 10173-10185.
DOI Scopus14 WoS14 Europe PMC8
2020 Day, C. M., Hickey, S. M., Song, Y., Plush, S. E., & Garg, S. (2020). Novel tamoxifen nanoformulations for improving breast cancer treatment: Old wine in new bottles. Molecules, 25(5), 27 pages.
DOI Scopus68 WoS55 Europe PMC39
2020 Hickey, S., Nitschke, S., Sweetman, M. J., Sumby, C. J., Brooks, D. A., Plush, S. E., & Ashton, T. D. (2020). Cross-coupling of amide and amide derivatives to umbelliferone nonaflates: synthesis of coumarin derivatives and fluorescent materials. Journal of Organic Chemistry, 85(12), 7986-7999.
DOI Scopus14 WoS15 Europe PMC5
2019 Sweetman, M. J., Hickey, S. M., Brooks, D. A., Hayball, J. D., & Plush, S. E. (2019). A Practical Guide to Prepare and Synthetically Modify Graphene Quantum Dots. Advanced Functional Materials, 29(14), 18 pages.
DOI Scopus100 WoS98
2018 Hickey, S. M., Ashton, T. D., Boer, G., Bader, C. A., Thomas, M., Elliott, A. G., . . . Pfeffer, F. M. (2018). Norbornane-based cationic antimicrobial peptidomimetics targeting the bacterial membrane. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 160, 9-22.
DOI Scopus26 WoS26 Europe PMC18
2017 Jenie, S., Hickey, S., Du, Z., Sebben, D., Brooks, D., Voelcker, N., & Plush, S. (2017). A europium-based 'off-on' colourimetric detector of singlet oxygen. Inorganica Chimica Acta, 462, 236-240.
DOI Scopus12 WoS12
2016 Bader, C., Shandala, T., Carter, E., Ivask, A., Guinan, T., Hickey, S., . . . Brooks, D. (2016). A molecular probe for the detection of polar lipids in live cells. PLoS ONE, 11(8), e0161557-1-e0161557-24.
DOI Scopus35 WoS33 Europe PMC19
2015 Hickey, S. M., Ashton, T. D., Khosa, S. K., Robson, R. N., White, J. M., Li, J., . . . Pfeffer, F. M. (2015). Synthesis and evaluation of cationic norbornanes as peptidomimetic antibacterial agents. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 13(22), 6225-6241.
DOI Scopus17 WoS18 Europe PMC13
2015 Hickey, S. M., Tripcony, S. K., Li, R., Williams, R. J., & Pfeffer, F. M. (2015). Organogelators based on the norbornane scaffold. Supramolecular Chemistry, 27(5-6), 425-435.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2015 Hickey, S. M., White, J. M., Pfeffer, F. M., & Ashton, T. D. (2015). Synthesis of 2-(Benzylthio)-4-(trifluoromethyl)thiazole-5-carboxylates using S -Benzylisothiouronium Halides as thiol equivalents. Synlett, 26(12), 1759-1763.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2015 Hickey, S. M., Ashton, T. D., & Pfeffer, F. M. (2015). Facile synthesis of guanidine functionalised building blocks. Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry, 4(4), 320-326.
DOI Scopus11 WoS11
2015 Hickey, S. M., Ashton, T. D., White, J. M., Li, J., Nation, R. L., Yu, H. Y., . . . Pfeffer, F. M. (2015). Synthesis of norbornane bisether antibiotics via silver-mediated alkylation. RSC Advances, 5(36), 28582-28596.
DOI Scopus15 WoS17 Europe PMC9
2012 Hickey, S. M., Ashton, T. D., Khosa, S. K., & Pfeffer, F. M. (2012). An optimised synthesis of 2-[2,3-Bis(tert -butoxycarbonyl)guanidino] ethylamine. Synlett, 23(12), 1779-1782.
DOI Scopus11 WoS11
2012 Altimari, J. M., Delaney, J. P., Servinis, L., Squire, J. S., Thornton, M. T., Khosa, S. K., . . . Henderson, L. C. (2012). Rapid formation of diphenylmethyl ethers and thioethers using microwave irradiation and protic ionic liquids. Tetrahedron Letters, 53(16), 2035-2039.
DOI Scopus23 WoS21

Courses I teach

  • CHEM 1006 Chemistry 100 (2025)
  • CHEM 1007 Chemistry 101 (2025)
  • CHEM 2027 Advanced Structure Determination and Analysis (2025)
  • CHEM 2028 Synthetic Chemistry (2025)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 External Supervisor Study of steroid metabolizing enzymes from actinobacteria and the genus Bacillus Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Sabiha Enam Spriha
2025 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Senait Tesfaw
2025 External Supervisor Study of steroid metabolizing enzymes from actinobacteria and the genus Bacillus Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Sabiha Enam Spriha
2025 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Mohammed Assen Seid
2023 Principal Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Madison Tyler Hindes
2023 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Thi My Hanh Tran
2022 External Supervisor Synthesis of inhibitors for steroid metabolising enzymes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Eva Hayball
2022 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Stephanie Stodulka
2022 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Jasmine Nehema
2022 External Supervisor Synthesis of inhibitors for steroid metabolising enzymes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Eva Hayball

Date Role Membership Country
2012 - ongoing Member Royal Australian Chemical Institute -
2012 - ongoing Member Royal Society of Chemistry -
2012 - ongoing Member American Chemical Society -

Date Engagement Type Partner Name
2023 - ongoing Collaboration Biosensis Pty. Ltd.

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2023 - ongoing Altered lipid metabolism in disease University of Adelaide Seminar Series University of Adelaide -
2022 - ongoing 1,8-Naphthalimide lipid droplet imaging agents RACI Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Conference Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2022 - ongoing A 3,4-Dimethoxy-1,8-naphthalimide for lipid droplet imaging in live and fixed cells RACI 2022 National Congress Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2021 - ongoing Cross-coupling of amide and amide derivatives to umbelliferone nonaflates: synthesis of new fluorescent materials 21st Tetrahedron Symposium Royal Society of Chemistry -
2018 - ongoing Norbornane-based cationic antimicrobial peptidomimetics targeting the bacterial membrane Organic 18, RACI National Conference Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2018 - ongoing Norbornane-based cationic antimicrobial peptidomimetics targeting the bacterial membrane RACI Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Conference Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2015 - ongoing Norbornane-based peptidomimetics as antibacterial agents RACI Adelaide Synthesis Symposium Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2015 - ongoing Norbornane-based peptidomimetics as antibacterial agents RACI Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2014 - ongoing Synthesis and evaluation of norbornane-based antibacterials RACI National Congress Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2014 - ongoing Synthesis and evaluation of norbornane-based cationic amphiphiles as potential antibacterials 15th Tetrahedron Symposium Royal Society of Chemistry United Kingdom
2013 - ongoing Synthesis of norbornane-peptide hybrids as potential antibiotics RACI Biomolecular Division Conference Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
2012 - ongoing Synthesis of norbornane-peptide hybrids as potential antibiotics 19th International Conference on Organic Synthesis International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Australia

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