Dr Susan Semple

Senior Research Fellow UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences

City East Campus (P6-38)
tel +61 8 830 22395

email Susan.Semple@unisa.edu.au

Research Degree Supervisor

About me

I have a background in pharmacy and natural products chemistry. My research interests include Australian medicinal and food plants with an emphasis on research which is in partnership with Australian Aboriginal communities and driven by the communities themselves. Currently my work involves collaborative research projects with communities in Queensland and South Australia examining the health benefits of, and product development from, some traditional medicinal and food plants. We focus on plants with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activities.

I also collaborate with researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and Shandong University in China. I am a member of the “Desert-loving Therapeutics” project team. Led ... Read more

UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences

UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences is addressing society’s most critical and emerging health needs through quality teaching, learning and research excellence.

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Research

Research themes

Healthy futures
Transforming societies

Research focus

Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Plant Biology
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry
Public Health and Health Services

Highlights

Antimicrobial, antidiabetic and antiinflammatory activity of Australian Aboriginal medicinal plants
Collaborative research with Aboriginal communities
Isolation and structural determination of biologically active compounds from plants
Complementary medicine use in the community
Information needs of consumers of complementary and alternative medicines
Medication safety

Research

Outputs

Research since 2008 is shown below. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus

Open access indicates that an output is open access.

Highlights

Year	Output
2020	Gu, X, Pisoni, LA, Wang, Y, Song, D, Sykes, MJ, Qin, Y, Semple, SJ, Polyak, SW, Venter, H & Ma, S 2020, 'Design and synthesis of novel 4-substituted quinazoline-2-carboxamide derivatives targeting AcrB to reverse the bacterial multidrug resistance', Bioorganic Chemistry, vol. 105, article no. 104394, pp. 1-16. 1
2020	Hans, AP, Ndi, C, Semple, SJ, Buirchell, B, Moller, BL & Staerk, D 2020, 'PTP1B-inhibiting branched-chain fatty acid dimers from eremophila oppositifolia subsp. angustifolia Identified by high-resolution PTP1B inhibition profiling and HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis', Journal of Natural Products, vol. 83, no. 5, pp. 1598-1610. 2 1
2020	Kim, S, Semple, SJ, Simpson, BS & Deo, P 2020, 'Antioxidant and antiglycation activities of Syzygium paniculatum Gaertn and inhibition of digestive enzymes relevant to Type 2 diabetes mellitus', Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, vol. 75, no. 4, pp. 621-627. 3 3
2020	Kjaerulff, L, Jensen, ABJ, Ndi, C, Semple, S, Moller, BL & Staerk, D 2020, 'Isolation, structure elucidation and PTP1B inhibitory activity of serrulatane diterpenoids from the roots of Myoporum insulare', Phytochemistry Letters, vol. 39, pp. 49-56. 2
2019	Jæger, D, O'Leary, MC, Weinstein, P, Møller, BL & Semple, SJ 2019, 'Phytochemistry and bioactivity of Acacia sensu stricto (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae)', Phytochemistry Reviews: Fundamentals and Perspectives of Natural Products Research, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 129–172. 5 4 1

Chapters

Year	Output
2015	Simpson, BS & Semple, SJ 2015, 'Phytotherapies used by indigenous populations', Phytotherapies: efficacy, safety, and regulation, Wiley, US, ch. 6, pp. 101-121. 1
2012	Claudie, DJ, Semple, SJ, Smith, NM & Simpson, BS 2012, 'Ancient but new: developing locally driven enterprises based on traditional medicines in Kuuku I'yu Northern Kaanju Homelands, Cape York, Queensland, Australia', in P Drahos & S Frankel (eds), Indigenous people's innovation: intellectual property pathways to development, ANU E Press, Canberra, Australia, ch. 2, pp. 29-55. Open access

Journal Articles

Year	Output
2021	Hu, S, Chai, WC, Xu, L, Li, S, Jin, C, Zhu, R, Yang, L, Zhang, R, Tang, K, Li, P, Yang, E, Chang, W, Shen, T, Semple, S, Venter, H & Xiang, L 2021, 'Catecholic alkaloid sulfonates and aromatic nitro compounds from Portulaca oleracea and screening of their anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activities', Phytochemistry: The International Journal of Plant Chemistry, Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 181, article no. 112587, pp. 1-11.
2020	Chai, WC, Whittall, JJ, Song, D, Polyak, SW, Ogunniyi, AD, Wang, Y, Bi, F, Ma, S, Semple, SJ & Venter, H 2020, 'Antimicrobial action and reversal of resistance in mrsa by difluorobenzamide derivatives targeted at ftsz', Antibiotics, vol. 9, no. 12, article no. 873, pp. 1-22. Open access 2 2 1
2020	Gu, X, Pisoni, LA, Wang, Y, Song, D, Sykes, MJ, Qin, Y, Semple, SJ, Polyak, SW, Venter, H & Ma, S 2020, 'Design and synthesis of novel 4-substituted quinazoline-2-carboxamide derivatives targeting AcrB to reverse the bacterial multidrug resistance', Bioorganic Chemistry, vol. 105, article no. 104394, pp. 1-16. 1
2020	Hans, AP, Ndi, C, Semple, SJ, Buirchell, B, Moller, BL & Staerk, D 2020, 'PTP1B-inhibiting branched-chain fatty acid dimers from eremophila oppositifolia subsp. angustifolia Identified by high-resolution PTP1B inhibition profiling and HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis', Journal of Natural Products, vol. 83, no. 5, pp. 1598-1610. 2 1
2020	Jaunay, EL, Dhillon, VS, Semple, SJ, Simpson, BS, Deo, P & Fenech, M 2020, 'Can a digital slide scanner and viewing technique assist the visual scoring for the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay?', Mutagenesis, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 311-317. 1
2020	Kim, S, Semple, SJ, Simpson, BS & Deo, P 2020, 'Antioxidant and antiglycation activities of Syzygium paniculatum Gaertn and inhibition of digestive enzymes relevant to Type 2 diabetes mellitus', Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, vol. 75, no. 4, pp. 621-627. 3 3
2020	Kjaerulff, L, Jensen, ABJ, Ndi, C, Semple, S, Moller, BL & Staerk, D 2020, 'Isolation, structure elucidation and PTP1B inhibitory activity of serrulatane diterpenoids from the roots of Myoporum insulare', Phytochemistry Letters, vol. 39, pp. 49-56. 2
2019	Biva, IJ, Ndi, CP, Semple, SJ & Griesser, HJ 2019, 'Antibacterial performance of terpenoids from the Australian plant Eremophila lucida', Antibiotics, vol.8, no.2, article no. 63, pp. 1-8. Open access 3 2 1
2019	Jæger, D, O'Leary, MC, Weinstein, P, Møller, BL & Semple, SJ 2019, 'Phytochemistry and bioactivity of Acacia sensu stricto (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae)', Phytochemistry Reviews: Fundamentals and Perspectives of Natural Products Research, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 129–172. 5 4 1
2018	Bi, F, Ji, S, Venter, H, Liu, J, Semple, SJ & Ma, S 2018, 'Substitution of terminal amide with 1H-1,2,3-triazole: Identification of unexpected class of potent antibacterial agents', Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 884-891. 12 14 1
2018	Liu, J, Ma, R, Bi, F, Zhang, F, Hu, C, Venter, H, Semple, SJ & Ma, S 2018, 'Novel 5-methyl-2-phenylphenanthridium derivatives as FtsZ-targeting antibacterial agents from structural simplification of natural product sanguinarine', Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, vol. 28, no. 10, pp. 1825-1831. 12 12
2018	Mahendran, VJ, Stringer, AM, Semple, SJ, Song, Y & Garg, S 2018, 'Advances in the use of anti-inflammatory agents to manage chemotherapy-induced oral and gastrointestinal mucositis', Current Pharmaceutical Design, vol. 24, no. 14, pp. 1518-1532. 7 6
2017	Bendikov, MY, Miners, JO, Simpson, BS, Elliot, DJ, Semple, SJ, Claudie, DJ, McKinnon, RA, Gillam, EM & Sykes, MJ 2017, 'In vitro metabolism of the anti-inflammatory clerodane diterpenoid polyandric acid A and its hydrolysis product by human liver microsomes and recombinant cytochrome P450 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes', Xenobiotica: The Fate of Foreign Compounds in Biological Systems, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 461-469. Open access 1 1
2017	Bi, F, Guo, L, Wang, Y, Venter, H, Semple, SJ, Liu, F & Ma, S 2017, 'Design, synthesis and biological activity evaluation of novel 2,6-difluorobenzamide derivatives through FtsZ inhibition', Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 958-962. 23 21
2017	Jaeger, D, Ndi, CP, Crocoll, C, Simpson, BS, Khakimov, B, Guzman-Genuino, RM, Hayball, JD, Xing, X, Bulone, V, Weinstein, P, Moller, BL & Semple, SJ 2017, 'Isolation and structural characterization of echinocystic acid triterpenoid saponins from the Australian medicinal and food plant Acacia ligulata', Journal of Natural Products, vol. 80, pp. 2692-2698. 5 5 2
2017	Jæger, D, Simpson, BS, Ndi, CP, Jäger, AK, Crocoll, C, Møller, BL, Weinstein, P & Semple, SJ 2017, 'Biological activity and LC-MS/MS profiling of extracts from the Australian medicinal plant Acacia ligulata (Fabaceae)', Natural Product Research, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 576-581. 4 4
2017	Liu, F, Venter, H, Bi, F, Semple, SJ, Liu, J, Jin, C & Ma, S 2017, 'Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 5-methylphenanthridium derivatives as FtsZ inhibitors', Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, vol. 27, no. 15, pp. 3399-3402. 13 13
2016	Biva, IJ, Ndi, CP, Griesser, H & Semple, S 2016, 'Antibacterial constituents of eremophila alternifolia: an Australian aboriginal traditional medicinal plant', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 182, pp. 1-9. Open access 12 10 34
2016	Deo, P, Hewawasam, E, Karakoulakis, A, Claudie, DJ, Nelson, R, Simpson, BS, Smith, NM & Semple, SJ 2016, 'In vitro inhibitory activities of selected Australian medicinal plant extracts against protein glycation, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and digestive enzymes linked to type II diabetes', BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 16, no. 435, pp. 1-11. Open access 19 16 5
2016	Dueholm, B, Bruce, D, Weinstein, P, Semple, S, Møller, BL & Weiner, J 2016, 'Erratum to: Spatial analysis of root hemiparasitic shrubs and their hosts: a search for spatial signatures of above- and below-ground interactions (Plant Ecol, 10.1007/s11258-016-0676-8)', Plant Ecology, vol. 218, no. 2, pp. 197-199. Open access
2016	Dueholm, B, Bruce, D, Weinstein, P, Semple, S, Møller, BL & Weiner, J 2016, 'Spatial analysis of root hemiparasitic shrubs and their hosts: a search for spatial signatures of above- and below-ground interactions', Plant Ecology, online, pp. 1-12. 1 2 2
2016	Roughead, EE, Semple, SJ & Rosenfeld, E 2016, 'The extent of medication errors and adverse drug reactions throughout the patient journey in acute care in Australia', International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 113-122. Open access 60 49 10
2016	Simpson, B, Bulone, V, Semple, S, Booker, G, McKinnon, R & Weinstein, P 2016, 'Arid awakening: new opportunities for Australian plant natural product research', The Rangeland Journal, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 467-478. Open access 4 4 4
2015	Mon, HH, Christo, SN, Ndi, CP, Jasieniak, M, Rickard, H, Hayball, JD, Griesser, HJ & Semple, SJ 2015, 'Serrulatane diterpenoid from Eremophila neglecta exhibits bacterial biofilm dispersion and inhibits release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from activated macrophages', Journal of Natural Products, vol. 78, no. 12, pp. 3031-3040. Open access 12 12 1
2015	Ndi, CP, Sykes, MJ, Claudie, DJ, McKinnon, RA, Semple, SJ & Simpson, BS 2015, 'Antiproliferative aporphine alkaloids from Litsea glutinosa and ethnopharmacological relevance to Kuuku I'yu traditional medicine', Australian Journal of Chemistry: An International Journal for Chemical Science, vol. 69, pp. 145-151. 8 7 12
2015	Simpson, BS, Luo, X, Wang, J, Song, Y, Claudie, DJ, Garg, S, Smith, NM, McKinnon, RA & Semple, SJ 2015, 'Development and evaluation of a topical anti-inflammatory preparation containing Dodonaea polyandra extract', Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 578-599. Open access 6 6
2014	Simpson, BS, Luo, X, Costabile, M, Caughey, GE, Wang, J, Claudie, DJ, McKinnon, RA & Semple, SJ 2014, 'Polyandric acid A, a clerodane diterpenoid from the Australian medicinal plant Dodonaea polyandra, attenuates pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro and in vivo', Journal of Natural Products, vol. 77, no. 1, pp. 85-91. Open access 15 15
2013	Simpson, B, Claudie, D, Smith, N, McKinnon, RA & Semple, SJ 2013, 'Learning from both sides: experiences and opportunities in the investigation of Australian Aboriginal medicinal plants', Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 259-271. Open access 11 10
2012	Anakok, O, Ndi, CP, Barton, M, Griesser, H & Semple, S 2012, 'Antibacterial spectrum and cytotoxic activities of serrulatane compounds from the Australian medicinal plant Eremophila neglecta', Journal of Applied Microbiology, vol. 112, no. 1, pp. 197-204. Open access 27 26 3
2012	Ndi, CP, Semple, SJ & Griesser, HJ 2012, 'Instability of antibacterial serrulatane compounds from the Australian plant species Eremophila duttonii', Australian Journal of Chemistry: An International Journal for Chemical Science, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 20-27. 11 11
2012	Simpson, BS, Claudie, DJ, Smith, NM, McKinnon, RA & Semple, SJ 2012, 'Rare, seven-membered cyclic ether labdane diterpenoid from Dodonaea polyandra', Phytochemistry: The International Journal of Plant Chemistry, Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 84, pp. 141-146. Open access 13 13
2011	Simpson, BS, Claudie, DJ, Gerber, JP, Pyke, SM, Wang, J, McKinnon, RA & Semple, SJ 2011, 'In vivo activity of Benzoyl ester clerodane diterpenoid derivatives from Dodonaea polyandra', Journal of Natural Products, vol. 74, no. 4, pp. 650-657. 25 23
2011	Simpson, BS, Claudie, DJ, Smith, NM, Gerber, JP, McKinnon, RA & Semple, SJ 2011, 'Flavonoids from the leaves and stems of Dodonaea polyandra: a Northern Kaanju medicinal plant', Phytochemistry: The International Journal of Plant Chemistry, Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 72, no. 14-15, pp. 1883-1888. 13 12
2010	Griesser, H, Vasilev, K, Ndi, C, Ys, H, Griesser, S & Semple, S 2010, 'Strategies for combating infection at biomedical device surfaces', Wound Repair and Regeneration, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. A74.
2010	Simpson, BS, Claudie, DJ, Smith, NM, Wang, J, McKinnon, RA & Semple, SJ 2010, 'Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory properties of Dodonaea polyandra, a Kaanju traditional medicine', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 132, no. 1, pp. 340-343. 23 24
2009	Goh, LY, Vitry, A I, Semple, SJ, Esterman, A & Luszcz, MA 2009, 'Self-medication with over-the-counter drugs and complementary medications in South Australia's elderly population', BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 9, article no. 1472. Open access 79 70
2009	Leong, E, Semple, S, Angley, M, Siebert, W, Petkov, J & McKinnon, R 2009, 'Complementary and alternative medicines and dietary interventions in multiple sclerosis: what is being used in South Australia and why?', Complementary Therapies in Medicine, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 216-223. 68 61
2009	Roughead, EE & Semple, SJ 2009, 'Medication safety in acute care in Australia : where are we now? Part 1 : a review of the extent and causes of medication problems 2002-2008', Australian Health Review, vol. 6, no. 1, article 18, pp. 1-12. Open access 136
2009	Semple, SJ & Roughead, EE 2009, 'Medication safety in acute care in Australia: where are we now? Part 2: a review of strategies and activities for improving medication safety 2002-2008', Australian Health Review, vol. 6, article no. 24. Open access 36
2008	Griesser, HJ, Ys, H, Ndi, CP, Britcher, LG, Vasilev, KA, Jasieniak, M, Griesser, S & Semple, SJ 2008, 'Chemistry and ageing Sustainable remediation', vol. 75, no. 10.
2008	Griesser, HJ, Ys, H, Ndi, CP, Britcher, LG, Vasilev, KA, Jasieniak, M, Griesser, S & Semple, SJ 2008, 'Combating infections at biomedical implants and devices by antibacterial coatings', Chemistry in Australia, vol. 75, no. 11, pp. 5-8. Open access
2008	Vitry, AI, Phillips, S & Semple, SJ 2008, 'Quality and availability of consumer information on heart failure in Australia', BMC Health Services Research, vol. 8, article no. 255. Open access 7 6

Conferences

Year	Output
2009	Ys, H, Ndi, C, Semple, SJ & Griesser, HJ 2009, 'Antibacterial coatings: covalently immobilized serrulatane diterpenes isolated from Australian plants of the genus eremophila', 8th World Biomaterials Congress 2008, Curran Associates Inc, vol. 2, pp. 697.

Reports

Year	Output
2020	Lim, R, Semple, S, Kalisch Ellett, L & Roughead, L 2020, Medicine safety: aged care, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Australia. Open access
2019	Lim, R, Semple, S, Kalisch Ellett, L & Roughead, L 2019, Medicine safety: take care, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Australia. Open access

Research

Patents

Details	Registry	Status
Anti-inflammatory compounds Semple, Susan J; Simpson, Bradley S; McKinnon, Ross Allan; Claudie, David; Gerber, Jacobus P; Wang, Jiping; Moreton, George Sr	EP	Filed
Anti-inflammatory compounds Semple, Susan J; Simpson, Bradley S; McKinnon, Ross Allan; Claudie, David; Gerber, Jacobus P; Wang, Jiping; Moreton, George Sr	US	Filed
Anti-inflammatory compounds Semple, Susan J; Simpson, Bradley S; McKinnon, Ross Allan; Claudie, David; Gerber, Jacobus P; Wang, Jiping; Moreton, George Sr	WO	Filed
Antimicrobial surfaces Griesser, Hans Jörg; Ndi, Chi Pius; Semple, Susan Jean; Ys, Hardi	WO	Filed

External engagement & recognition

Collaborations

External engagement & recognition

Collaborations

Organisation	Country
Ayurvedic Government Medical College	INDIA
Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation	AUSTRALIA
Flinders Medical Centre	AUSTRALIA
Flinders University	AUSTRALIA
Monash University	AUSTRALIA
National Institute of Clinical Studies	AUSTRALIA
Nelumbo Botaniks	AUSTRALIA
Qingdao University	CHINA
ReaLi Tide Biological Technology (Weihai) Co. Ltd	CHINA
Robert Mathys Stiftung	SWITZERLAND
Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention	CHINA
Shandong University	CHINA
State Herbarium of South Australia	AUSTRALIA
University of Adelaide	AUSTRALIA
University of Copenhagen	DENMARK
University of Queensland	AUSTRALIA
University of South Australia	AUSTRALIA
University of Western Australia	AUSTRALIA
Wise Owl Consulting	AUSTRALIA

External engagement & recognition

Engagement/recognition	Year
Research models for benefit sharing with an Aboriginal group Queensland Government (review of Biodiscovery Act)	2019
Keynote speaker APSA Lecture at annual conference Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA)	2018

Teaching & student supervision

Highlights

Drug discovery from plants and other natural sources
Chemical constituents of medicinal plants
Indigenous health

Teaching & student supervision

Research degree supervision

Supervisions from 2010 shown

Thesis title	Student status
A combined in silico and microbiological approach for the identification of novel efflux pump inhibitors against AcrAB-TolC	Current
Advanced glycation end product induced genotoxicity and receptor expression in human cells	Current
Antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial drug development	Current
Antibacterial coatings for biomedical devices by covalent grafting of serrulatane diterpenes	Completed
Antibacterial serrulatanes: synthetic studies and structure-activity relationships	Completed
Biological actions of antibacterial compounds covalently attached onto solid material surfaces or released diffusively from materials	Completed
Chemical and pharmacological investigation of Acacia and Santalum species	Completed
Chemical and pharmacological investigation of Dodonaea polyandra	Completed
Discovery of antibacterial compounds from Australian Eremophila plants	Completed
Pharmacological and in silico investigation of anti-inflammatory diterpenoid compounds isolated from Dodonaea polyandra	Completed
Serrulatanes from eremophila neglecta: their spectrum of antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity and mode of action	Completed
Spatial and molecular aspects of hemiparasites on Acacia spp.	Completed
Targeting bacterial cellular division via FtsZ as an approach in the development of new antimicrobial agents	Completed

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Dr Susan Semple

About me

About me

UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences

About me

Professional Associations

Experience

Qualifications

Work history

Research

Research themes

Research focus

Highlights

Projects

Outputs

Highlights

Chapters

Journal Articles

Conferences

Reports

Current research & highlights

Patents

External engagement & recognition

Collaborations

Collaborations

External engagement & recognition

Research models for benefit sharing with an Aboriginal group

Keynote speaker APSA Lecture at annual conference

Teaching & student supervision

Highlights

Courses and programs

Research degree supervision

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