University of Nottingham Malaysia
Faculty of Science
     
  
 

Image of Teng-Jin Khoo

Teng-Jin Khoo

Associate Professor, Digital Learning Director Science & Engineering,

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Biography

During my postgraduate years, I work on organic nitrogen-sulfur ligands and transition metal complexes. This is under the supervision of Professor Dr Karen Anne Crouse, Chemistry Department, Universiti Putra Malaysia which leads to a PhD in Synthesis and Organometallic Chemistry. In first two years, I developed synthesis methodology techniques for organic nitrogen donor ligand derivatives and metal complexes. For the remaining part of my PhD, I then continue my work with Professor Dr David J Watkin in Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford. I then developed spectroscopic and physicochemical techniques for my research with particular work on Single Crystal X-ray Crystallography. My work in the two institution are fully funded under National Science Fellowship, Malaysia and Overseas Researcher Attachment award. With these techniques I am able to then determine the chemical structural parameters for further application in other branch of life science with major interest in Pharmaceutical application. The methodology and techniques I developed were to determine stereochemical conformation, configuration, diasterioisomers, polymorphism, molecular packing and geometry for structures ranging from plant secondary metabolites to synthesis derivatives. Some of the important class of chemical structures I was able to determine are flavonoids, xanthones, Schiff base ligands, transition metal complex, chalcone and polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol. My work has since been successfully published in the journal Acta Crystallographica, Polyhedron, Inorganica Chimica Acta and Planta Medica Letters as first author or corresponding author.

Teaching Summary

Fellow of The Higher Education Academy UK

Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry,

Pharmaceutical Analysis and Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry

Research Summary

Over the years my research interest is primary on chemistry of small molecules for Pharmaceutical applications. Our area of research highly involve other important branches of chemistry and… read more

Selected Publications

Current Research

Over the years my research interest is primary on chemistry of small molecules for Pharmaceutical applications. Our area of research highly involve other important branches of chemistry and demonstrate interdisciplinary work. We addresses pressing issues that are current and challenges where chemical science are able to assist. The two main areas of which my group focuses are:

1. ) Chemistry of small molecules from plants, herbs, spices secondary metabolites as inhibitors. Currently our projects involve small molecules in class of flavonoids, alkaloids, chalcone and polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol (PPA). We been researching on toxicology properties against drug targets of which we have developed animal-free model assays targeting Cholesteryl Ester Trasfer protein, mTOR, caspace's regulating mitochondria depended pathways, enzymes regulating cell cycles, HMG-coA reductase enzyme, anti-microbial anti-fungi and chemical and cell based antioxidant capacity assay. In one of our work, a new polymorph of Clusianone structure was determined by Sree Vanessa et al. from Garcinia sp., we then work on the inhibitory properties and mode of action on in vitro nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line. To improve toxicology profile of molecules, we derivatives the chemical structures. This is done by means of chemical-synthesis methodology usually over a number of synthesis steps with appropriate yield. In one example, cardamonin from herb and spices of the alpinia sp., we have attached new functional groups and in complexation with transition ion metals. This has resulted in improved IC50 value at low µM level.

2.) Synthesis chemistry of nitrogen-sulfur derivatives, structural elucidation and physico-chemical characterization for pharmaceutical application.

Past Research

I have previously work on research project as principle investigator with important and successful funding from FRGS, MOSTI Sciencefund, FOS Pump Priming grant and Graduate School Grant.

I have by 2017 supervised 7 number of PhD students with successful scholarship from Tunku Abdul Rahman Sarawak PhD Fellowship, Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awan (Malaysia Civil Service) Fellowship and MyBrain15. Currently there are three PhD candidates under my supervision and expected to graduate by 2018. Together with collaborators I have co-supervised 8 postgraduate students. Below are the titles of PhD thesis of which I supervised and the year of graduation.

  1. HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors from Plant Secondary Metabolites as Hypercholesterolemic Lowering Agents - Dr Janet Wong Pik Ching, 2014
  2. CARDAMONIN INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN HUMAN NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA CELLS VIA MITOCHONDRIAL DEATH PATHWAY MEDIATED BY CASPASE-3 AND CASPASE-8 ACTIVATION, INDEPENDENT OF CASPASE-9 SIGNALLING RESPONSES - Dr Chiang Michelle, 2016
  3. EVALUATING INHIBITORY POTENTIAL TARGETING CHOLESTEROL ESTER TRANSFER PROTEIN (cetp) by HYDROXYCITRIC ACID (hca) FROM PLANTS OF GARCINIA SPECIES BY KINETIC AND IN-SILICO APPROACH FOR THE PREVENTION oF ATHEROSCLEROSIS - Dr Suraya Binti Abdul Sani, 2016
  4. STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION OF CLUSIANONE FROM Garcinia parvifolia AND IN VITRO EVALUATION TARGETING MICROTUBULE SYSTEM OF RESPIRATORY CARCINOMA CELLS - Dr Sree Vaneesa Nagalingam, 2017

Future Research

A link to my publications list and research index can be found here:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=JkIW8vQAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

See list of publications. We are interested to seek collaborators for interdisciplinary work and to address current and important challenges.

Faculty of Science

University of Nottingham Malaysia
Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia

telephone: +6 (03) 8924 8000
fax: +6 (03) 8924 8018

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