Biodiscovery: From biodiversity and biology to bioactives and beyond - Rob Capon

Professor Rob Capon

Our research centres on the detection, isolation, characterisation, identification and evaluation of novel bioactive metabolites from Australian marine and terrestrial biodiversity. These metabolites span all known biosynthetic structure classes including many molecules new to science, and their study requires the use of sophisticated chromatographic, spectroscopic and chemical technologies. Natural products uncovered during our investigations represent valuable new leads in the search for drugs with application in the fields of human and animal health and crop protection, have potential as molecular probes to better interrogate and understand living systems. To best capture and develop IMB and broader UQ biodiscovery capabilities, we have established the Biodiscovery@UQ network. Biodiscovery@UQ is a thematic networking initiative aimed at facilitating interdisciplinary access to bioactive natural extracts and chemistry, improving basic and applied science outcomes, and showcasing excellence in UQ biodiscovery-related research.

Research Projects

• Natural Products Chemistry: the isolation and purification, and spectroscopic and chemical analysis, of secondary metabolites from marine and terrestrial plants, animals and microbes with a view to better exploring and understanding 'natural' chemical space.


• Synthetic Organic Chemistry: the synthesis of new bioactive natural productss to confirm, test and refine novel pharmacophores, to build knowledge of and prioritise new drug lead candidates, with a view to better exploring and understanding 'synthetic' chemical space.


• Microbial Metabolism: the acquisition and fermentation of microbial biodiversity to express silent secondary metabolite gene clusters to better explore and make use of the full spectrum of 'natural' chemical space defined by the microbial genome.


• Chemical Ecology: the detection, identification and evaluation of invasive pest (i.e. cane toads, insects) defensive secretions, toxins and pheromones to improve our understanding of chemical ecology in order to develop safe, effective and species-selective cont


• Biological Targets: through a network of collaborators we have interests in developing new drugs leads to target such indicators as infectious and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity, pain and inflammation.

 Key Publications

Fremlin, L.J., Piggott, A.M., Lacey, E., and Capon, R.J. (2009). Cottoquinazoline A and cotteslosins A-B: Metabolites from an Australian marine-derived strain of Aspergillus versicolor. Journal of Natural Products 72: 666-670.

Hayes, R.A., Piggott, A.M., Dalle, K., and Capon, R.J. (2009). Microbial biotransformation as a source of chemical diversity in cane toad steroid toxins. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 19: 1790-1792.

Raju, R., Piggott, A.M., Conte, M., Aalbersberg, W.G.L., Feussner, K., and Capon, R.J. (2009). Naseseazines A-B: A new dimeric diketopiperazine framework from a marine-derived actinomycete, Steptomyces sp. Organic Letters 11: 3862-3865.

Capon, R.J., Peng, C., and Dooms, C. (2008). Trachycladindoles A-G: Novel cytotoxic heterocycles from an Australian marine sponge, Trachycladus laevispirulifer. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 6: 2765-2771.

El-Naggar, M., Piggott, A.M., Capon, R.J., Bistellettazines, A.-C., and Bistellettazole, A. (2008). New Terpenyl-Pyrrolizidine and Terpenyl-Imidazole Alkaloids from a Southern Australian Marine Sponge, Stelletta sp. Organic Letters 10: 4247-4250.

Hagman, M., Hayes, R.A., Capon, R.J., and Shine, R. (2008). Alarm cues experienced by cane toad tadpoles affect post-metamorphic morphology and chemical defences. >Functional Ecology 23: 126-132.

Hayes, R.A., Barrett, A., Alewood, P.F., Grigg, G.C., and Capon, R.J. (2008). Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11, Use of chemical ecology for control of the cane toad? Springer: 2008.

Ratnayake, R., Fremlin, L.J., Lacey, E., Gill, J.H., and Capon, R.J. (2008). Acremolides: Lipodepsipeptides from an Australian marine-derived fungus, Acremonium sp. Journal of Natural Products 71: 403-408.

Zhang, H., and Capon, R.J. (2008). Phorbasins D-F: Diterpenyl-taurines amines from a southern Australian marine sponge, Phorbas sp. Organic Letters 10: 1959-1962.

Zhang, H., Major, J.M., Lewis, R.J., and Capon, R.J. (2008). Phorbasins G-K: New cytotoxic diterpenes from a southern Australian marine sponge, Phorbas sp. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 6: 3811-3815.

On this site