Ms Ellen Swan
Higher Degree by Research Candidate
Postgraduate Student
School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Ellen graduated from a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) in Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide in 2016. She then completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Chemistry at the University of Adelaide in 2018 under the supervision of Professor Simon Pyke, with a focus on developing small molecule inhibitors for targeting a protein-protein interaction domain. Ellen was awarded the Rennie Scholarship for Research in Chemistry, and the Cedric Stanton Hicks Research Scholarship for the highest mark in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Chemistry. Ellen is currently undertaking a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Adelaide, under the supervision of Professor Simon Pyke and Dr John Bruning. Her research involves further investigation of small molecule inhibitors with improved bio-availability for targeting a protein-protein interaction domain.
My research aims to investigate whether a non-traditional drug target (i.e. protein-protein interaction) can be targeted with small molecules, and potentially reveal a relatively unexploited class of therapeutic targets.
Operating at the interface of medicinal chemistry and molecular biology, my work includes the design, synthesis and characterisation of "drug-like" small molecules, and investigation of their binding interactions with the target protein using a range of biophysical techniques.
-
Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2019 - ongoing Second Year Chemistry Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide 2017 - 2018 First Year Chemistry Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2019 Scholarship Cedric Stanton Hicks Research Scholarship The University of Adelaide Australia - 2018 Scholarship Rennie Scholarship for Research in Chemistry The University of Adelaide Australia - 2017 Scholarship The University of Adelaide Honours Scholarship Zonta Club of Adelaide Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2019 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD 2017 - 2018 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2014 - 2016 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Advanced) -
Research Interests
-
Journals
Year Citation 2019 Swan, E., Platts, K., & Blencowe, A. (2019). An overview of the cycloaddition chemistry of fulvenes and emerging applications. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, 15, 2113-2132.
WoS9 -
Book Chapters
Year Citation 2022 Swan, E., Jayne, S., & Pyke, S. (2022). Recent Developments in Targeting "Undruggable" SH3 Domains. In J. Bronson, B. Savall, & R. Hudkins (Eds.), 2021 Medicinal Chemistry Reviews (Vol. 56, pp. 389-411). American Chemical Society.
Ellen has demonstrated 1st and 2nd year chemistry practicals at The University of Adelaide.
-
Memberships
Date Role Membership Country 2019 - ongoing Member Royal Australian Chemical Institute Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles
