Professor Osborn’s research interests focus on the development of new chemical and enzymatic methods for the treatment of life threatening diseases. Within her current research programmes, particular emphasis is placed on the synthesis and biological analysis of enzyme activated prodrugs, for the selective treatment of cancer and bacterial infections, and carbohydrate based therapeutics, for the treatment of AIDS, cancer and influenza. She has an established reputation for the development of selective treatments for metastatic melanoma, with prodrugs that have been examined in these studies receiving International patent protection. She also has long term interests in the development of anti-infective agents, glycosidase enzyme inhibitors, anti-viral agents and personalised medicines.

Heath, F., Newman, A., Clementi, C., Pasut, G., Lin, H., Stephens, G. J., Whalley, B. J., Osborn, H. M. I. and Greco, F. (2016) A novel PEG–haloperidol conjugate with a non-degradable linker shows the feasibility of using polymer–drug conjugates in a non-prodrug fashion. Polymer Chemistry, 7 (47). pp. 7204-7210. ISSN 1759-9954 doi: 10.1039/c6py01418f Ravishankar, D., Corona, G., Hogan, S. M., Spencer, J. P. E., Greco, F. and Osborn, H. M. I. (2016) Thioflavones as novel neuroprotective agents. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 24 (21). pp. 5513-5520. ISSN 0968-0896 doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.09.006 Bovill, R., Evans, P. G., Howse, G. L. and Osborn, H. M. I. (2016) Synthesis and biological analysis of novel glycoside derivatives of L-AEP, as targeted antibacterial agents. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 26 (15). pp. 3774-3779. ISSN 0960-894X doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2016.05.052 Ravishankar, D., Watson, K. A., Greco, F. and Osborn, H. M. I. (2016) Novel synthesised flavone derivatives provide significant insight into the structural features required for enhanced anti-proliferative activity. RSC Advances, 6 (69). pp. 64544-64556. ISSN 2046-2069 doi: 10.1039/C6RA11041J Parshotam, J. P., Brazier, J. A., Bovill, R. and Osborn, H. M. I. (2016) An efficient and rapid microwave-assisted synthesis of 1-acetyl-1H-indol-3-YL acetates. Current Microwave Chemistry, 3 (3). pp. 247-257. ISSN 2213-3364 doi: 10.2174/2213335603666160108001556