Staff
- Academic Staff
- Dr M.N. Ahmad
- Professor S.J. Allen
- Professor S.E.J. Bell
- Professor D.R. Boyd
- Professor R. Burch OBE
- Dr M.J. Cook
- Professor A.P. de Silva
- Dr A.P. Doherty
- Dr N.C. Fletcher
- Dr A. Goguet
- Dr W. P.D.Goldring
- Professor K.J. Hale
- Professor C. Hardacre
- Dr J.D. Holbrey
- Professor P. Hu
- Dr M. Huang
- Dr. J. Jacquemin
- Professor S.L. James
- Dr M.C. Lagunas
- Dr I.C. Lane
- Dr W.F. Lin
- Professor T.R.A. Magee
- Dr P. Manesiotis
- Dr C. Mangwandi
- Professor J. Mann
- Dr H.G. Manyar
- Dr A.C. Marr
- Dr P.C. Marr
- Professor J.J. McGarvey
- Professor A. Mills
- Dr M.J. Muldoon
- Dr P. Nockemann
- Professor E.V. Rebrov
- Professor D.W. Rooney
- Professor K.R. Seddon
- Dr G.N. Sheldrake
- Dr P.J. Stevenson
- Dr K. Tchabanenko
- Dr J. Thompson
- Dr J.S. Vyle
- Professor G.M. Walker
- Dr P.J. Walsh
- All Staff
Professor John Mann
Professor John Mann
BSc (University College London), 1967
PhD (University College London), 1970
DSc (University of London), 1990
Emeritus Professor of Chemistry
E-mail: j.mann@qub.ac.uk
The Rational Design of Anti-cancer Drugs
A continuing programme (in collaboration with Professor Stephen Neidle at the Cancer Research UK Biomolecular Structure Unit at the School of Pharmacy in London) seeks to provide a universal DNA minor groove binder based upon our results with bis-benzimidazoles (X=CH2 or O).
Several of these compounds have shown in vitro anti-cancer activity at the nanomolar level and we are now conjugating bis-benzimidazoles to known anti-cancer drugs to provide new targeted anti-cancer agents.
Interestingly one of these bis-benzimidazoles has been shown to have specific antibacterial activity against Clostridium difficile, which is a potentially fatal hospital-acquired bacterium. A phase I clinical trial is underway.
The Public Understanding of Science (Chemistry)
I have a continuing interest in the communication of science to the general public with a special emphasis on providing an understanding of the origins of the drugs that are in common use. As well as talks to general audiences, the communication is effected through a number of popular science publications:
The Elusive Magic Bullet, Oxford University Press, 1999.
Murder, Magic and Medicine, Oxford University Press, 2000.
Life Saving Drugs, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2004.
Turn On and Tune In: Psychedelics, Narcotics and Euphoriants, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2009
Chasms of Delight, Memoirs Publishing, June 2012.
