Dr Ifat Shah

BSc, PhD, PGCTHE, MRSC

I was awarded my PhD at the University of Bath (UK) in 2001, with a thesis entitled "Novel Hypoxia-Selective Prodrugs of Radiosensitisers and Chemosensitisers." This work was conducted under the supervision of Professor Mike Threadgill (Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology) and Dr. William J. D. Whish (Department of Biology & Biochemistry). My PhD research was in synthetic medicinal chemistry, focusing on the design, synthesis and evaluation of drugs for cancer therapy.

In 2002, I joined the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER, Aberystwyth) as a post-doctoral researcher on a BBSRC-LINK project (Phytochemical Library from British Plants 2002-2004), collaborating with the pharmaceutical company Molecular Nature Ltd. This role involved the isolation and identification of natural plant products, allowing me to expand my expertise into natural-product drug discovery. From 2004, I was Principal Investigator for a metabolomics project to develop a pre-mortem diagnostic test for transmissible spongiform encepathalopathies (TSE) in sheep and cattle. I have since also worked on projects concerned with using a metabolomics approach to improve animal health & performance and in plant chemistry.

In 2008, I joined Aberystwyth University as a Lecturer in Biological Chemistry. I developed my strong interdisciplinary theme with specialisation in biological chemistry and I have authored publications across diverse fields, including medicinal chemistry, mass spectrometry, radioisotopic labelling, metabolomics, ruminant science, plant chemistry, green biotechnology, veterinary science and natural-product drug discovery. This breadth of expertise enables me to provide chemical and molecular insights into diverse problems, fostering key understanding and integration of research findings for publication and development towards real-world applications. My work has also led to the issue of a patent.

Grants 
SMART Expertise Funding (Welsh Government) – Novel test for novel therapies for bovine endometritis; expansion 2021-2022 £94017 Co-I
BEACON Plus extension, EDRF 80851. BEACON programme aiming to target high value chemicals to improve plant and human health 2019-2021 £5000000 Co-I
SMART Expertise Funding (Welsh Government) – Novel test for novel therapies for bovine endometritis 2019-2020 £111000 Co-I
KESS MPhil Studentship (Welsh Government) (with Oat Services Ltd.) – Developing oats for improving health 2019-2020 £15000 PI
KESS PhD Studentship (Welsh Government) (with Oat Services Ltd.) – Oats as a source of bioactive compounds 2016-2019 ca. £60000 PI
BEACON Plus, EDRF 80851. BEACON programme aiming to target high value chemicals to improve plant and human health 2015-2019 £12000000 Co-I
British Council Newton-Bhabha Fund, 6-month Fellowship 2015 £5000 Co-I
Life Science Research Network Wales NRN PhD studentship – New antimicrobial drugs in microbes from extreme environments 2015-2019 £60000 Co-I
Life Science Research Network Wales NRN PhD studentship – Natural products from hops vs. TB 2015-2018 £60000 Co-I
HVCfP Grant – Exploiting oat genetic resources to elevate bioactive avenanthramide content 2015-2016 £50000 Co-I
BBSRC Capital Grant for Isolera Four (Accelerated Biotage Flash Chromatography System) 2015 £30000 PI
NRN PhD studentship (Life-Sciences Research Network Wales) – Natural products to counter MRSA 2014-2018 £60000 Co-I
TETFUND Split-Site PhD studentship - Clinically active natural products from Moringa oleifera 2014-2017 £40000 Co-I
Access to MastersTM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Antimicrobial compounds from Japanese knotweed 2014-2015 £13400 PI
NRN Endeavour Grant (Life-Sciences Research Network Wales) – Developing Welsh capacity for drug lead discovery from natural products 2014 £3000 Co-I
BBSRC Sparking Impact Award – Maximising the commercial opportunities of natural product drug discovery at Aberystwyth 2014 £16000 Co-I
BBSRC Industrial Case Fellowship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Endophytic bacteria 2014-2019 £90000 Co-I
ATM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Endophytes and nitrogen fixation 2013-2014 £13400 Co-I
ATM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Bioactive metabolites from bacterial endophytes 2013-2014 £13400 PI
ATM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Bioactive metabolites from Miscanthus rhizomes 2013-2014 £13400 PI
ATM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – High-value chemicals from seaweed 2013-2014 £13400 PI
Energy Grasses & Biorefining Institute Strategic Programme Grant (BBS/E/W/00003134C) – Energy Grasses & Biorefining". Key in two BBSRC strategic research priorities: Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy & Bioscience for Health 2012-2017 £5200000 Co-I
ATM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Bioactives from invasive weeds 2012-2013 £13400 PI
BBSRC Industrial Case Fellowship (with DLF Trifolium) – Grass cell walls and drought tolerance 2011-2015 £90000 Co-I
ATM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Natural plant products for food preservation 2011-2012 £13400 PI
ATM-funded MSc studentship (with Phytoquest Ltd) – Avenanthramides in oats 2011-2012 £13400 PI
BEACON PhD studentship – Metabolomics in Miscanthus 2010-2014 £60000 PI
A4B Project Grant – Polyphenol oxidases as protein protectors 2009-2010 £10000 Co-I
 

My current research is in two related fields, natural-product drug discovery / medicinal chemistry and green biotechnology. My research team has isolated several natural compounds with potential therapeutic applications in diabetes and breast cancer. Additionally, we are developing methods to use mass spectrometry coupled with our detailed understanding of organic chemical mechanisms to identify complex natural products, including closely related isomers. These natural products include neoclerodanes and other diterpenoids from traditional medicinal shrubs (Saudi Arabia), chlorogenic acids & flavonoids from Miscanthus, tannins from seaweeds and non-psychoactive cannabinoids from C. sativa. 

These research activities benefit from national and international collaborations with scientists in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan, inter alia.

Grants awarded are under Additional information.

Deputy Director of Learning & Teaching (DLS) (2022-ongoing)

Director of International Teaching (IBERS) (2017-2022):