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Skropeta, Danielle

Associate Professor

  • Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health
  • Course Director - Bachelor of Pre-med, Science & Health

Top Publications

Research Overview

  • Carbohydrate-based drug discovery and Nature-inspired medicinal chemistry.

    Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of natural and carbohydrate-based anticancer agents. Glycopeptides for radioimaging. Natural product chemistry ranging from rare deep-sea invertebrates to abundant, local macroalage.

Available as Research Supervisor

Available for Collaborative Projects

Selected Publications

Impact Story

  • <p>When I entered University in 1990 to study a double BSc/BEng degree there were no female academics in any of the chemistry, maths, physics and engineering subjects I studied throughout my degree. It was a time where gender bias was rife in the field (yet to attract its STEM acronym) and Australia was still without a single female professor in chemistry – that would come a decade later when <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/the-deal-magazine/margaret-sheil-vc-queensland-university-of-technology/news-story/0f8df54daba0446c5a20166a04aff883" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Margaret Sheil</a> was made professor at UOW in 2000. <br /><br />The choice was clear – sit back and despair at the lack of female representation in chemistry or take the path less travelled. I completed a BSc(Hons) in chemistry followed by a PhD at ANU and four postdoctoral fellowships, including two overseas. Fast-forward thirty years, and I am one of a growing number of Associate Professors in chemistry (see <a href="https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2016/boost-for-gender-equity-as-molecular-masters-move-up-the-ranks.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a>). While a number of female Vice Chancellors have emerged in recent years, numbers of chemistry professors remain “stubbornly low” both in Australia and world-wide and garnering heated debate on gender equity in STEM by leading voices in influential journals such as Nature and Central Science (<a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acscentsci.6b00102" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bertozzi, 2016</a>).</p><p>Today, primary education remains dominated by women, with the reverse true for tertiary education (<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540250802190156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drudy, 2008</a>). It has been my goal, and the <a href="https://chemistry.anu.edu.au/news-events/news/danielle-skropeta-modern-career-chemistry-has-be-based-diverse-interests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">driving force</a> behind entering academia, to ensure that we attract, promote and retain women in STEM at University, and to address broader issues of diversity to create a more inclusive environment for everyone. Below are some examples of impacts in gender equity locally, nationally and internationally, but as oft quoted achieving gender parity and addressing diversity issues in STEM and the wider society is a marathon and not a sprint.</p>

     Detail View
  • <p>Each of my research projects is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration with either an academic, industry or community partner, ranging from local and regional partners to major international institutes and companies.  </p><p></p>

     Detail View

Available as Research Supervisor

Advisees

  • Graduate Advising Relationship

    Degree Research Title Advisee
    Doctor of Philosophy A Proposed Mechanism for the Disruption of the Body's Calcium Homeostasis by Absorbed Solvents and Gases and its Relevance to Anaesthesia and Industrial Solvent Exposure
    Doctor of Philosophy Fabricating Delivery Platforms for Wound Management and Tissue Regeneration Daikuara, Luciana
    Doctor of Philosophy Synthesis and Evaluation of Amiloride Analogues as New Agents for Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Bujaroski, Richard
    Doctor of Philosophy Investigating the Interaction Between Group A Streptococcus and the Human Glycome Indraratna, Anuk
    Doctor of Philosophy Improving Cancer Radiotherapy with Therapeutic Agents Targeting Cell Surface Sugars Steele, Harrison

Education And Training

Awards And Honors

Teaching Overview

  • I have taught at UOW since 2006 across seven chemistry subjects in all formats (lectures, tutes, workshops and lab classes) and ranging from large 1st yr service subjects (CHEM103 Introductory Chemistry for Engineers) to specialized classes of advanced 4th year Medicinal Chemistry students. I design and plan learning, assessment and tutorial activities in all areas of chemistry and in both traditional and online formats. I have previously led both 2nd and 3rd yr Organic Chemistry (CHEM212 & CHEM321) teaching teams as the coordinator for several years. From 2015 onwards, I took on the course director role and implemented the highly successful Bachelor of Pre-Medicine, Science and Health, including developing a specialist cross-University subject, MEDI128, involving mixed team teaching across chemistry, physics and medical ethics.

Keywords

  • Medicinal Chemistry; Bioorganic Synthesis; Natural Products Chemistry; Carbohydrate Chemistry; Peptide Chemistry; Anticancer Agents; Drug Development

Full Name

  • Danielle Skropeta

Mailing Address

  • Northfields Ave

    University of Wollongong

    Wollongong

    NSW

    2522

    Australia

Fax

  • +61-2-42214287

Top Publications

Research Overview

  • Carbohydrate-based drug discovery and Nature-inspired medicinal chemistry.

    Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of natural and carbohydrate-based anticancer agents. Glycopeptides for radioimaging. Natural product chemistry ranging from rare deep-sea invertebrates to abundant, local macroalage.

Selected Publications

Impact Story

  • <p>When I entered University in 1990 to study a double BSc/BEng degree there were no female academics in any of the chemistry, maths, physics and engineering subjects I studied throughout my degree. It was a time where gender bias was rife in the field (yet to attract its STEM acronym) and Australia was still without a single female professor in chemistry – that would come a decade later when <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/the-deal-magazine/margaret-sheil-vc-queensland-university-of-technology/news-story/0f8df54daba0446c5a20166a04aff883" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Margaret Sheil</a> was made professor at UOW in 2000. <br /><br />The choice was clear – sit back and despair at the lack of female representation in chemistry or take the path less travelled. I completed a BSc(Hons) in chemistry followed by a PhD at ANU and four postdoctoral fellowships, including two overseas. Fast-forward thirty years, and I am one of a growing number of Associate Professors in chemistry (see <a href="https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2016/boost-for-gender-equity-as-molecular-masters-move-up-the-ranks.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a>). While a number of female Vice Chancellors have emerged in recent years, numbers of chemistry professors remain “stubbornly low” both in Australia and world-wide and garnering heated debate on gender equity in STEM by leading voices in influential journals such as Nature and Central Science (<a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acscentsci.6b00102" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bertozzi, 2016</a>).</p><p>Today, primary education remains dominated by women, with the reverse true for tertiary education (<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540250802190156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drudy, 2008</a>). It has been my goal, and the <a href="https://chemistry.anu.edu.au/news-events/news/danielle-skropeta-modern-career-chemistry-has-be-based-diverse-interests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">driving force</a> behind entering academia, to ensure that we attract, promote and retain women in STEM at University, and to address broader issues of diversity to create a more inclusive environment for everyone. Below are some examples of impacts in gender equity locally, nationally and internationally, but as oft quoted achieving gender parity and addressing diversity issues in STEM and the wider society is a marathon and not a sprint.</p>

     Detail View
  • <p>Each of my research projects is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration with either an academic, industry or community partner, ranging from local and regional partners to major international institutes and companies.  </p><p></p>

     Detail View

Advisees

  • Graduate Advising Relationship

    Degree Research Title Advisee
    Doctor of Philosophy A Proposed Mechanism for the Disruption of the Body's Calcium Homeostasis by Absorbed Solvents and Gases and its Relevance to Anaesthesia and Industrial Solvent Exposure
    Doctor of Philosophy Fabricating Delivery Platforms for Wound Management and Tissue Regeneration Daikuara, Luciana
    Doctor of Philosophy Synthesis and Evaluation of Amiloride Analogues as New Agents for Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Bujaroski, Richard
    Doctor of Philosophy Investigating the Interaction Between Group A Streptococcus and the Human Glycome Indraratna, Anuk
    Doctor of Philosophy Improving Cancer Radiotherapy with Therapeutic Agents Targeting Cell Surface Sugars Steele, Harrison

Education And Training

Awards And Honors

Teaching Overview

  • I have taught at UOW since 2006 across seven chemistry subjects in all formats (lectures, tutes, workshops and lab classes) and ranging from large 1st yr service subjects (CHEM103 Introductory Chemistry for Engineers) to specialized classes of advanced 4th year Medicinal Chemistry students. I design and plan learning, assessment and tutorial activities in all areas of chemistry and in both traditional and online formats. I have previously led both 2nd and 3rd yr Organic Chemistry (CHEM212 & CHEM321) teaching teams as the coordinator for several years. From 2015 onwards, I took on the course director role and implemented the highly successful Bachelor of Pre-Medicine, Science and Health, including developing a specialist cross-University subject, MEDI128, involving mixed team teaching across chemistry, physics and medical ethics.

Keywords

  • Medicinal Chemistry; Bioorganic Synthesis; Natural Products Chemistry; Carbohydrate Chemistry; Peptide Chemistry; Anticancer Agents; Drug Development

Full Name

  • Danielle Skropeta

Mailing Address

  • Northfields Ave

    University of Wollongong

    Wollongong

    NSW

    2522

    Australia

Fax

  • +61-2-42214287

Visualisations

  Publication History
 

Research Areas

Geographic Focus