Mary Garson

Biography

I was an Overseas Research Fellow of the Royal Society in Rome, Italy (1977-1978), a Research Fellow at New Hall, Cambridge (1978-1981) and a Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellow at James Cook University of North Queensland (1983-1985). I have worked in the UK pharmaceutical industry (Smith Kline Beecham) and previously held a lecturing position at The University of Wollongong (1986-1990). I joined The University of Queensland in 1990.

Research Interest

y research explores the chemistry and natural bioactivity of secondary metabolites from both the marine and terrestrial environment. A key area of interest are the biosynthetic processes by which terpene metabolites are formed in marine sponges, and particularly in the role of inorganic cyanide and thiocyanate in the generation of the isocyano and isothiocyanato motif found in a number of these metabolites. We have also explored the chemistry and chemical ecology of bioactive 3 alkylpiperidine metabolites from marine sponges, and the chemistry of nudibranchs, notably those from the genera Phyllidiella and Chromodoris, that associate with sponges. A recent interest has been the structure elucidation of metabolites from marine fungi and bacteria. Research into the chemistry of medicinal plants is carried out in collaboration with chemists from South East Asia.