The University of Western Australia

Dr Adrian Scaffidi

Research Associate
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Contact details

Address

School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The University of Western Australia (M011)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone

6488 1755

Fax

6488 4444

Email

adrian.scaffidi@uwa.edu.au

Location

Room 414, Bayliss Building, Crawley campus

Biography

Dr Adrian Scaffidi completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Chemistry (Honours) and Mathematics followed by a PhD from The University of Western Australia. Upon the completion of his studies, Dr Scaffidi worked for drug discovery company Epichem prior to accepting a Research Associate position at UWA.

Key research

Karrikins are a new class of germination stimulants present in smoke that have attracted much interest due to their ability to promote the germination of species present in both fire and non-fire prone regions at remarkably low concentrations. Karrikins provide an opportunity for improving the restoration of natural and disturbed ecosystems by increasing the germination rate of various species, in addition to plant conservation and weed control. My research aims to further understand the role of karrikins in Nature by investigating their metabolism, molecular targets and environmental fate.

Collaborators

Dr Gavin Flematti, Chemistry UWA

Dr David Nelson, ARC Center of Excellence UWA

Dr David Merritt, Kings Park and Botanical Garden

Dr Jason Stevens, Kings Park and Botanical Garden

Publications

D. C. Nelson, A. Scaffidi, E.A. Dun, M.T. Waters, G. R. Flematti, K. W. Dixon, C. A. Beveridge, E. L. Ghisalberti, S. M. Smith, F-box protein MAX2 has dual roles in karrikin and strigolactone signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A., 2011,108, 8897-902

C. G. Jones, J. Moniodis, K. G. Zulak, A. Scaffidi, J. A. Plummer, E. L. Ghisalberti, E. L. Barbour, J. Bohlmann, Sandalwood Fragrance Biosynthesis Involves Sesquiterpene Synthases of Both the Terpene Synthase (TPS)-a and TPS-b Subfamilies, including Santalene Synthases, J. Biol. Chem, 2011, 286, 17445-54

G. R. Flematti, A. Scaffidi, K. W. Dixon, S. M. Smith, E. L. Ghisalberti, Production of the seed germination stimulant karrikinolide from combustion of simple carbohydrates, J Agric Food Chem, 2011,59,1195-8

A. Scaffidi, G. R. Flematti, D. C. Nelson, K. W. Dixonc, S. M. Smith, E. L. Ghisalberti, The synthesis and biological evaluation of labelled karrikinolides for the elucidation of the mode of action of the seed germination stimulant, Tetrahedron, 67, 2011, 152-157

G. R. Flematti, A. Scaffidi, E. D. Goddard-Borger, C. H. Heath, D. C. Nelson, L. E. Commander, R. V. Stick, K. W. Dixon, S. M. Smith, E. L. Ghisalberti, Structure−Activity Relationship of Karrikin Germination Stimulants, J. Agric. Food Chem., 2010, 58, 8612–8617

K. A. Stubbs, A. Scaffidi, A. W. Debowski, B. L. Mark, R. V. Stick, D. J. Vocadlo, Synthesis and Use of Mechanism-based Protein-profiling Probes for Retaining β-D-Gucosaminidases Facilitate Identification of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa NagZ, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 327.

A. Scaffidi, K. A. Stubbs, D. J. Vocadlo, R. V. Stick, The Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Some Carbocyclic Analogues of PUGNAc, Carbohydr. Res., 2008, 343, 2744.

A. Scaffidi, K. A. Stubbs, R. J. Dennis, E. J. Taylor, G. J. Davies, D. J. Vocadlo, R. V. Stick, A 1-Acetamido Derivative of 6-epi-Valienamine: An Inhibitor of a Diverse Group of β-N-Acetylglucosaminidases, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2007, 5, 3013.

A. Scaffidi, R. V. Stick and K. A. Stubbs, Synthesis of Some Glycosylated Derivatives of 2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-β-laminaribiosyl Fluoride: Another Success for Glycosynthases, Aust, J. Chem. 2007, 60, 83.

V. A. Money, N. L. Smith, A. Scaffidi, R. V. Stick, H. J. Gilbert, and G. J. Davies, Substrate Distortion by a Lichenase Highlights the Different Conformational Itineraries Harnessed by Related Glycoside Hydrolases, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 2006, 45, 5136.

A. Scaffidi and R. V. Stick, Glycosynthase-Assisted Synthesis of Some Glycosylated scyllo-Inositols, Aust, J. Chem. 2006, 59, 894.

A. Scaffidi, B. W. Skelton, R. V. Stick and A. H. White, An Expansion of the Role of the Corey–Link Reaction for the Synthesis of α-Substituted Carboxylic Acid Esters, Aust, J. Chem. 2006, 59, 426.

A. Scaffidi, B. W. Skelton, R. V. Stick and A. H. White, Structural Characterisation of a Pentapeptide Derived from a Novel Carbohydrate α-Amino Acid, Aust, J. Chem. 2006, 60, 93.

A. Scaffidi, B. W. Skelton, R. V. Stick and A. H. White, The Synthesis of Some Oligopeptides Derived from Novel Carbohydrate α-Amino Acids, Aust, J. Chem. 2004, 57, 733.

A. Scaffidi, B. W. Skelton, R. V. Stick and A. H. White, The Synthesis of Carbohydrate α-Amino Acids Utilising the Corey–Link Reaction, Aust, J. Chem. 2004, 57, 723.

G. S. Forman, A. Scaffidi and R. V. Stick, An Alternative Synthesis of Some Carbohydrate α-Amino Acids, Aust, J. Chem. 2004, 57, 25.

Funding received

UWA Research Collaboration Award
UWA Research Development Award

Memberships

Royal Australian Chemical Institute

Patents

W. M. Best, C. G. Sims, A. Scaffidi, G. Luna, R. C. A. Thompson, T. Armstrong, Preparation of dinitrobiaryls as parasiticides. PCT Int. Appl. (2010), WO 2010009508

Research profile

Research profile and publications