![Dr Kylie Agnew-Francis](/sites/default/files/profiles/25766.jpeg)
Overview
Background
I am a medicinal chemist and postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Queensland, Australia, where I obtained my BSc (Hons) with a major in organic chemistry in 2011. Following this, I worked at the Institute for Future Environments and later the Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities at QUT, where I gained experience in analytical chemistry, as well as molecular biology and genetics. In 2015, I returned to UQ to begin my PhD in the design and synthesis of novel antifungals targeting invasive infection under the supervision of Prof. Craig Williams and Prof. Luke Guddat, which I completed in 2019. My combined experience in synthetic chemistry - particularly in the synthesis of heterocyclic small molecules - and molecular biology has since led to my current position at UQ under the supervision of Prof. Avril Robertson, where my focus is once again on the design and synthesis of novel antifungals. Broadly, my research interests lie in the pursuit of drug design and development campaigns addressing difficult or under-researched clinical concerns, and in particular, the use of novel bioisosteric approaches to improve drugability and drug efficacy.
More recently, I have developed an interest in Australian mushroom species. Very little recorded knowledge on our endemic mushrooms species exists. My research in this space seeks to characterise the genetic and molecular features of Australian wood rot mushrooms, which are critical players in maintaining and restoring the health of our unique forests ecosystems. With this information we aim to better understand our fungal biodiversity and the ecological roles they play, and to explore their potential uses in several industries. We are also investigating the biological activity of extracts and molecules derived from these mushrooms against models of human diseases, such as Alzheimer's, cancer, and drug-resistant microbial infections.
Availability
- Dr Kylie Agnew-Francis is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Antifungal drug design
We focus on the design, synthesis and testing of novel anti fungal drugs, with a particular focus on Candida auris. We are also interested in studying the mode of action of some of these drugs and investigating their resistance profiles and impact on biofilms.
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Australian native mushrooms
Australia is home to over 10,000 species of mushroom, the majority of which are undescribed and unexplored in scientific literature. Our work aims to help fill this gap through characterisation of the unique molecular properties of several Australian native mushroom species using a combination of genomics, metabolomics, and proteomics. Through this, we hope to better understand their relationship to their natural environment and to other species found internationally, and to gain insights on their metabolic machinery and production of toxic and bioactive metabolites. We are also interested in investigating the nutritional properties and biological activity of extracts of these mushrooms, and identifying the bioactive molecules responsible for their activities. Elucidating these molecules will provide a means for novel drug discovery targeting human disease, and will provide key information on the health benefits of Australian native mushrooms.
Works
Search Professor Kylie Agnew-Francis’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Structure-activity relationships of bensulfuron methyl and its derivatives as novel agents against drug-resistant Candida auris
Sun, Xue-Wen, Liu, Yixuan, Wang, Xiaofang, Li, Hao-Ran, Lin, Xin, Tang, Jin-Yin, Xu, Qing, Agnew-Francis, Kylie A., Fraser, James A., Sun, Zhi-Juan, Guddat, Luke W. and Wang, Jian-Guo (2023). Structure-activity relationships of bensulfuron methyl and its derivatives as novel agents against drug-resistant Candida auris. Chemical Biology & Drug Design, 103 (1) e14364, e14364. doi: 10.1111/cbdd.14364
2023
Journal Article
seco-pregnane glycosides from Australian caustic vine (Cynanchum viminale subsp. australe)
Xue, Yongbo, Savchenko, Andrei I., Agnew-Francis, Kylie A., Miles, Jared A., Holt, Tina, Lu, Hieng, Chow, Sharon, Forster, Paul I., Boyle, Glen M., Ross, Benjamin P., Fischer, Katja, Kutateladze, Andrei G. and Williams, Craig M. (2023). seco-pregnane glycosides from Australian caustic vine (Cynanchum viminale subsp. australe). Journal of Natural Products, 86 (3), 490-497. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01037
2020
Journal Article
Herbicides that target acetohydroxyacid synthase are potent inhibitors of the growth of drug resistant Candida auris
Agnew-Francis, Kylie A., Tang, Yu Cheng, Lin, Xin, Low, Yu Shang, Wun, Shun Jie, Kuo, Andy, Elias, S. M. A. Sayeed Ibn, Lonhienne, Thierry G., Condon, Nicholas, Pimentel, Bruna Natalia Alves da Silva, Vergani, Carlos, Smith, Maree T., Fraser, James A., Williams, Craig M. and Guddat, Luke W (2020). Herbicides that target acetohydroxyacid synthase are potent inhibitors of the growth of drug resistant Candida auris. ACS infectious diseases, 6 (11) acsinfecdis.0c00229, 2901-2912. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00229
2020
Journal Article
Squaramides as bioisosteres in contemporary drug design
Agnew-Francis, Kylie A. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Squaramides as bioisosteres in contemporary drug design. Chemical Reviews, 120 (20) acs.chemrev.0c00416, 11616-11650. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00416
2020
Journal Article
Kalparinol, a Salvialane (Isodaucane) sesquiterpenoid derived from native Australian dysphania species that suggests a putative biogenetic link to zerumbone
Tan, Yuen Ping, Savchenko, Andrei I., Agnew-Francis, Kylie A., Boyle, Glen M., Bernhardt, Paul V., Fraser, James A. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Kalparinol, a Salvialane (Isodaucane) sesquiterpenoid derived from native Australian dysphania species that suggests a putative biogenetic link to zerumbone. Journal of Natural Products, 83 (5) acs.jnatprod.9b01039, 1473-1479. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b01039
2020
Journal Article
Humulene diepoxides from the Australian arid zone herb Dysphania: assignment of aged hops constituents
Tan, Yuen Ping, Agnew‐Francis, Kylie A., Hofmann, Julian, Savchenko, Andrei I., Lafontaine, Scott R., Boyle, Glen M., Bernhardt, Paul V., Fraser, James A., Shellhammer, Thomas H. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Humulene diepoxides from the Australian arid zone herb Dysphania: assignment of aged hops constituents. Chemistry: A European Journal, 26 (7) chem.201904420, 1653-1660. doi: 10.1002/chem.201904420
2018
Journal Article
Commercial AHAS-inhibiting herbicides are promising drug leads for the treatment of human fungal pathogenic infections
Garcia, Mario D., Chua, Sheena M. H., Low, Yu-Shang, Lee, Yu-Ting, Agnew-Francis, Kylie, Wang, Jian-Guo, Nouwens, Amanda, Lonhienne, Thierry, Williams, Craig M., Fraser, James A. and Guddat, Luke W. (2018). Commercial AHAS-inhibiting herbicides are promising drug leads for the treatment of human fungal pathogenic infections. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (41), E9649-E9658. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1809422115
2016
Journal Article
Catalysts containing the adamantane scaffold
Agnew-Francis, Kylie A. and Williams, Craig M. (2016). Catalysts containing the adamantane scaffold. Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis, 358 (5), 675-700. doi: 10.1002/adsc.201500949
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Kylie Agnew-Francis is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Targetting Candida Auris
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Fraser, Professor Avril Robertson
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Doctor Philosophy
Antifungal agents to target disseminated mycoses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Avril Robertson, Professor James Fraser
-
Doctor Philosophy
Targeting Deadly Mycotic Infection
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Fraser, Professor Avril Robertson
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Kylie Agnew-Francis directly for media enquiries about:
- Antifungals
- Australian mushrooms
- Bioactive
- Chemistry
- Drug design
- Fungi
- Hericium
- Lion’s Mane
- Mushrooms
- mycology
- native mushrooms
- Natural products
- Peptides
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