![Alex White](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/2971?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Alex White
MPharm Programme Director and Senior Lecturer
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- WhiteAW@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29208 76308
- Redwood Building, Room 1.81, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB
Overview
Co-inventor of rucaparib (Rubraca ®), a PARP inhibitor licenced in the USA (2016) and UK/EU (2018) for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer and peritoneal cancer. Currently developing methodology for the large scale extraction of bio-active natural products from bulk plant material. Particularly of interest is the development of natural product lead compounds as clinically useful chemotherapeutic agents.
Publication
2019
- Owen, L., White, A. W. and Laird, K. 2019. Characterisation and screening of antimicrobial essential oil components against clinically important antibiotic-resistant bacteria using thin layer chromatography-direct bioautography hyphenated with GC-MS, LC-MS and NMR. Phytochemical Analysis 30(2), pp. 121-131. (10.1002/pca.2797)
2013
- Lau, W. M., Heard, C. M. and White, A. W. 2013. Design, synthesis and in vitro degradation of a novel co-drug for the treatment of psoriasis. Pharmaceutics 5(2), pp. 232-245. (10.3390/pharmaceutics5020232)
2012
- White, A. W., Carpenter, N., Lottin, J. R. P., McClelland, R. and Nicholson, R. 2012. Synthesis and evaluation of novel anti-proliferative pyrroloazepinone and indoloazepinone oximes derived from the marine natural product hymenialdisine. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 56, pp. 246-253. (10.1016/j.ejmech.2012.08.022)
2011
- Lau, W. M., Ng, K. W., White, A. W. and Heard, C. M. 2011. Therapeutic and cytotoxic effects of the novel antipsoriasis codrug, naproxyl-dithranol, on HaCaT cells. Molecular Pharmaceutics 8(6), pp. 2398-2407. (10.1021/mp200327k)
2010
- Lau, W. M., White, A. W., Donaldson, M. and Heard, C. M. 2010. Histochemical visualisation of esterase activity in porcine ear skin. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 62(6), pp. 798-798. (10.1211/jpp.62.06.0016)
- Lau, W. M., White, A. W. and Heard, C. M. 2010. Topical delivery of a naproxen-dithranol co-drug: in vitro skin penetration, permeation, and staining. Pharmaceutical Research 27(12), pp. 2734-2742. (10.1007/s11095-010-0274-8)
2008
- Lau, W. M., White, A. W., Gallagher, S. J., Donaldson, M., McNaughton, G. and Heard, C. M. 2008. Scope and limitations of the co-drug approach to topical drug delivery. Current Pharmaceutical Design 14(8), pp. 794-802.
- White, A. W., Westwell, A. and Brahemi, G. 2008. Protein-protein interactions as targets for small-molecule therapeutics in cancer. Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine 10(e8), pp. 1-14. (10.1017/S1462399408000641)
2004
- White, A. W. et al. 2004. Potentiation of cytotoxic drug activity in human tumour cell lines, by amine-substituted 2-arylbenzimidazole-4-carboxamide PARP-1 inhibitors. Biorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 14(10), pp. 2433-2437. (10.1016/j.bmcl.2004.03.017)
2002
- Perdomo-Lopez, I., Rodriguez-Perez, A. I., Yzquierdo-Peiro, J., White, A. W., Estrada, E. G., Villa, T. G. and Torres-Labandeira, J. J. 2002. Effect of cyclodextrins on the solubility and antimycotic activity of sertaconazole: Experimental and computational studies. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 91(11), pp. 2408-2415. (10.1002/jps.10237)
2000
- White, A. W. et al. 2000. Resistance-modifying agents. 9. Synthesis and biological properties of benzimidazole inhibitors of the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 43(22), pp. 4084-4097. (10.1021/jm000950v)
Articles
- Owen, L., White, A. W. and Laird, K. 2019. Characterisation and screening of antimicrobial essential oil components against clinically important antibiotic-resistant bacteria using thin layer chromatography-direct bioautography hyphenated with GC-MS, LC-MS and NMR. Phytochemical Analysis 30(2), pp. 121-131. (10.1002/pca.2797)
- Lau, W. M., Heard, C. M. and White, A. W. 2013. Design, synthesis and in vitro degradation of a novel co-drug for the treatment of psoriasis. Pharmaceutics 5(2), pp. 232-245. (10.3390/pharmaceutics5020232)
- White, A. W., Carpenter, N., Lottin, J. R. P., McClelland, R. and Nicholson, R. 2012. Synthesis and evaluation of novel anti-proliferative pyrroloazepinone and indoloazepinone oximes derived from the marine natural product hymenialdisine. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 56, pp. 246-253. (10.1016/j.ejmech.2012.08.022)
- Lau, W. M., Ng, K. W., White, A. W. and Heard, C. M. 2011. Therapeutic and cytotoxic effects of the novel antipsoriasis codrug, naproxyl-dithranol, on HaCaT cells. Molecular Pharmaceutics 8(6), pp. 2398-2407. (10.1021/mp200327k)
- Lau, W. M., White, A. W., Donaldson, M. and Heard, C. M. 2010. Histochemical visualisation of esterase activity in porcine ear skin. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 62(6), pp. 798-798. (10.1211/jpp.62.06.0016)
- Lau, W. M., White, A. W. and Heard, C. M. 2010. Topical delivery of a naproxen-dithranol co-drug: in vitro skin penetration, permeation, and staining. Pharmaceutical Research 27(12), pp. 2734-2742. (10.1007/s11095-010-0274-8)
- Lau, W. M., White, A. W., Gallagher, S. J., Donaldson, M., McNaughton, G. and Heard, C. M. 2008. Scope and limitations of the co-drug approach to topical drug delivery. Current Pharmaceutical Design 14(8), pp. 794-802.
- White, A. W., Westwell, A. and Brahemi, G. 2008. Protein-protein interactions as targets for small-molecule therapeutics in cancer. Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine 10(e8), pp. 1-14. (10.1017/S1462399408000641)
- White, A. W. et al. 2004. Potentiation of cytotoxic drug activity in human tumour cell lines, by amine-substituted 2-arylbenzimidazole-4-carboxamide PARP-1 inhibitors. Biorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 14(10), pp. 2433-2437. (10.1016/j.bmcl.2004.03.017)
- Perdomo-Lopez, I., Rodriguez-Perez, A. I., Yzquierdo-Peiro, J., White, A. W., Estrada, E. G., Villa, T. G. and Torres-Labandeira, J. J. 2002. Effect of cyclodextrins on the solubility and antimycotic activity of sertaconazole: Experimental and computational studies. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 91(11), pp. 2408-2415. (10.1002/jps.10237)
- White, A. W. et al. 2000. Resistance-modifying agents. 9. Synthesis and biological properties of benzimidazole inhibitors of the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 43(22), pp. 4084-4097. (10.1021/jm000950v)
Research
Natural Product Research and the design and synthesis of novel anti-cancer agents, especially using lead compounds from natural sources. We have been investigating natural products from Welsh marine organisms and have identified anti-cancer and anti-bacterial activity in extracts from Welsh sponges. Currently involved in isolation and characterisation of discrete biologically active molecules from large scale plant sources.
Teaching
Convenor of undergraduate examinations
- PH1121 Molecule to patient
- PH1122 The role of the pharmacist in professional practice
- PH1123 Structure and function of cells and microbes
- PH1124 Human body systems
- PH1125 Chemical and biological properties of drug molecules
- PH2110 Clinical & professional pharmacy
- PH2112 Principles of drug design
- PH2113 Diseases and drugs I
- PH3101 Optimisation of drug design
- PH3110 Optimisation of pharmaceutical care
- PH3202 Research methodology
- PH4116 Pharmacy research or scholarship project
- PH4117 Pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacy practice and the population
- PH4118 Pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacy practice and the patient
Biography
Career profile
Graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and awarded a PhD in anti-cancer drug design from the same University. Held a faculty research position at the Arizona State University Cancer Research Institute under Professor Bob Pettit studying the anti-cancer constituents of marine organisms. Returned to the UK as a research associate at the Northern Institute of Cancer Research before joining the staff of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
