Contact Information
Department of Life Sciences
The University of the West Indies
St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

 

Location
Professor Peter Bacon Postgraduate Lab
Natural Science Building 
Tel: 1(868) 662-2002
Ext. 83084

 

 

 

 

Education

  • M.Phil Candidate in Biochemistry - The University of the West Indies St. Augustine (2017- to present)
  • B.Sc. Chemistry and Biology (Upper-Class Seconds) - The University of the West Indies (2013-2017)

 

Project Details

Title: Exploring the therapeutic potential of components in skin secretions of frogs of Trinidad and Tobago.
Summary: My research explores the therapeutic potential of components in the skin secretions of frogs of Trinidad and Tobago. The literature review has led to the selection of several frog species some of which are endemic; however, they belong to families of frogs known for secreting compounds for natural defense. These chemical compounds are responsible for protecting the frogs against environmental threats. These naturally occurring components can be utilized as a basis for the development of therapeutic agents with antimicrobial, anti-cancer and immunomodulatory properties.
Supervisors: Dr Milena Mechkarska (U.W.I, Trinidad, St Augustine)
Co-supervisor: Professor J.Michael Conlon (Ulster University, Northern Ireland)
Academic Committee member: Dr Richard Fairman (U.W.I, Trinidad, St Augustine)
 

Research Interests

  • Isolation of natural products with therapeutic potential from animal and plant sources found in the Caribbean
  • Drug design and modification based on isolated therapeutic agents
  • Peptide synthesis and sequencing methodologies
  • Isolation and purification of complex mixtures via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
  • Structural identification and elucidation with the use of Mass Spectrometry (MS), Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation - Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and other 2D elucidation techniques

 

Projects Involved

  1. Identification of biologically active compounds with therapeutic potential from selected frog species in Trinidad and Tobago (2017 to present)
  2. Impacts of agricultural pollutants on reproductive health in the tungara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) (2018)
  3. Isolation of novel steroidal alkaloids from Solanum nudum var micranthum (2017)

 

Publication/s

Barran, G., Kolodziejek, J., Coquet, L., Leprince, J., Jouenne, T., Nowotny, N., Conlon, J.M., Mechkarska, M. 2020. Peptidomic Analysis of Skin Secretions of the Caribbean Frogs Leptodactylus insularum and Leptodactylus nesiotus (Leptodactylidae) Identifies an Ocellatin with Broad Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity. Antibiotics 10: 718. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9100718

 

Presentations/attendance at Conferences and Research Symposiums

First Commonwealth Chemistry Congress, United Kingdom, Online/Virtual Event, May 18th -20th, 2021.

Poster presentation - “Peptidomic analysis of skin secretions of two frogs from the genus Leptodactylus (Leptodactylidae): Leptodactylus insularum and Leptodactylus nesiotus”, Gervonne Barran, Laurent Coquet, Jérôme Leprince, J. Michael Conlon, Milena Mechkarska, Commonwealth Chemistry Posters – Building the Partnership, August 25-26th, 2020 and May 18-20th, 2021.

Poster presentation - “Comparative peptidomic analysis of skin secretions of two endemic frogs, Mannophryne trinitatis (Trinidad) and Mannophryne olmonae (Tobago)”, Gervonne Barran, J. Michael Conlon, Milena Mechkarska, UWI, Faculty of Science and Technology Research Week, May 20th, 2019.

Proposal seminar - “Exploring the therapeutic potential of components in skin secretions of frogs in Trinidad and Tobago”, Gervonne Barran, UWI, Department of Life Sciences, March 29th, 2018.

Undergraduate research project seminar - “Isolation of steroidal alkaloids from Solanum nudum var micranthum”, Gervonne Barran, UWI, Department of Chemistry, April 12th, 2017.

Biennial Regional Conference and Expo on Chemical Science, Technology and Industry, Department of Chemistry, UWI, St. Augustine Campus, May 22nd - 24th, 2019.

Faculty of Science and Technology Research Week, UWI, St. Augustine Campus, May 20th-24th, 2019.

Faculty of Science and Technology Annual Research Symposium, UWI, St. Augustine Campus, April 5th - 6th, 2018.

Faculty of Science and Technology Annual Research Symposium, UWI, St. Augustine Campus, April 6th - 7th, 2017.

Mini-symposium on Frog-Based Research at the Department of Life Sciences, UWI, St. Augustine Campus, October 30th - November 1st, 2017.

 

Work and Teaching Experience

Demonstrator, Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (2017 to present)
Courses: Living Organisms II, Biochemistry I, Biochemistry IIA, Practical Skills in Biochemistry I, Practical Skills in Biochemistry II, Animal Physiology, Plant Physiology, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics II and Cell and Developmental Biology.
Demonstrator, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus (2019 to present)
Course: Pre-Science (N1) Program - Biology.
Assistant Invigilator, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus Main Campus and Faculty of Medical Sciences – Mt Hope (December 2019 to present)
Personal Tutor at G.E.M.S Institute, The Learning Centre and A+ Class Tuition (2012-2017)
 

Training/Academic Courses/Workshops

  • Diabetes Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland (May 2018 and November/December 2019)
  • Become a master in HPLC Techniques (Liquid Chromatography) – Online Course (June 2019)
  • Metabolomics in Life Sciences – Osaka University - OsakaUx Online Course (June 2020)
  • Medicinal Chemistry: The Molecular Basis of Drug Discovery – DavidsonX in collaboration with Novartis Institute of BioMedical Research – Online Course (Ongoing - Restructured)
  • Drug Development – University of California San Diego – Online Course (May 2020)
  • How to Write a Successful Research Paper – Online Course (Jan 2020)
  • Academic Writing Essentials: University Writing Crash Course – Online Course (July  2019)
  • Postgraduate Writing Workshop (March 1st, March 15th and March 29th, 2018)
  • Instructional Skills Workshop (July 2nd - 4th, 2018)
  • Entrepreneurship 101 Training (June 15th, 2019)
  • Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Course (November 2nd - 3rd, 2017)

 

Achievements/ Awards

  • Campus Research and Publication Fund for Postgraduate Training Abroad (2019)
  • The Office of the Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology partial funding  for Postgraduate Training Abroad (2019)
  • Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology partial funding for Postgraduate Training Abroad (2019)
  • Campus Research and Publication Fund (2018)
  • Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology partial funding for Postgraduate Training Abroad (2018)
  • UNICEF Jamaica Top Child Researcher Award Finalist, Caribbean Child Research Conference (2012)

 

Professional Memberships

  • Trinidad and Tobago Chemical Society

 

Co-Curricular/Volunteer Experience

Postgraduate Representative - The Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago (2020 to present)

Volunteer – North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA), COVID-19 National Vaccination Programme, St Joseph Enhanced Health Centre.

Volunteer - Faculty of Science and Technology Research Week 2019, University of the West Indies Zoology Museum (UWIZM) and the National Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago (NHTT) – Department of Life Sciences Booth and Registration, UWI, St. Augustine Campus

Volunteer - Faculty of Science and Technology pre-orientation program 2018, Department of Life Sciences, UWI, St. Augustine Campus

Volunteer - Bioblitz 2019, Tabaquite, Herpetology Group, Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club (TTFNC) in association with University of the West Indies Zoology Museum (UWIZM)

Volunteer - Bioblitz 2018, Toco, Herpetology Group, Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club (TTFNC) in association with University of the West Indies Zoology Museum (UWIZM)

Volunteer - Bioblitz 2017, Icacos, Herpetology Group, Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club (TTFNC) in association with University of the West Indies Zoology Museum (UWIZM)

President - Chemists’ In Action, University of the West Indies, St Augustine (2016 - 2017)

Volunteer - ASA Wright Nature Centre (2013)

Technical/Vocational Trainee - Trinity College East (2008 - 2009)

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