![Emeritus Professor Maree Smith](/sites/default/files/profiles/32.jpeg)
Overview
Background
Emeritus Professor Maree Smith AC FTSE FAHMS is a full-time researcher and Director, CIPDD, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland.
In the 12 years prior to her current appointment, Professor Smith led a high-performing team in building the CIPDD and its commercial interface TetraQ, recognized as a unique, GLP-accredited drug development Centre in Australia. Professor Smith has considerable expertise in biomedical discovery/translation with specialist expertise in the novel pain therapeutics discovery/translation field encompassing a portfolio of 16 rodent pain models that mimic individual human pain conditions. This portfolio of models conducted in a purpose-built facility operated in accordance with the requirements of our Quality Management System, making the CIPDD unique in Australia and rare internationally.
In the 15 years prior to establishing the CIPDD, Professor Maree Smith was a full-time academic in the School of Pharmacy. In brief, she joined the School of Pharmacy as a Lecturer in 1989 and was successively promoted through the academic ranks to Professor in 2004. Prior to that she undertook a PhD and early postdoctoral training in clinical pharmacology with specialist expertise in bioanalytical method development, bioanalysis of human plasma samples, drug metabolism and clinical pharmacokinetics. Her second postdoc was in the field of pain management and pain pharmacology.
In the years, 1990-2005, Maree Smith taught in the Drug Discovery stream of the 2nd, 3rd & 4th years of the undergraduate Pharmacy program and she was instrumental in developing innovative courses for the final year of the undergraduate Pharmacy curriculum. She was also instrumental in the development of a course for the M Biotech program at UQ entitled “Quality Systems in Biotechnology” which continues to this day and is a compulsory course in the Program. Maree has successfully advised/co-advised to completion 33 PhD students, 2 Research Masters students and ~50 Honours students. She also served for 14 years as an external evaluator for the TGA.
Maree's Current Research Interests are as follows:
1. Subtle differences in the pathobiology of individual chronic pain conditions
2. Improving preclinical to clinical translation in novel analgesics development
3. Preclinical drug development of novel pain therapeutics
4. Preclinical drug development
Awards
2021 UQ Fellowship
2019 Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List
2018 Honorary Bragg Membership (The Royal Institution of Australia)
2016 Bowl of Hygeia Award (Pharmaceutical Society of Australia)
2016 Clunies Ross Knowledge Commercialisation Award (ATSE)
2015 Honoured to be included in inaugural list of Australia's top Innovators; viz Knowledge Nation 100
2015 Inaugural Inductee into the Life Sciences Queensland (LSQ) Hall of Fame
2015 Johnson and Johnson Innovaton AusBiotech Industry Excellen Award - Outstanding Leader category.
2015 Elected Fellow, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS)
2015 Australian Pain Society Distinguished Member Award - For services to the promotion, treatment and science of pain management and lifelong contribution to the Australian Pain Society
2013 UQ Top 5 Inventor - Award by Thomson Reuters and UQ at inaugural Awards
2013 UQ Top 5 Innovator - Award by UniQuest Pty Ltd and UQ at inaugural Awards
2012 Queensland Life Sciences Industry Excellence Award jointly with Dr Jim Aylward
2011 Elected Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (ATSE)
2009 Honorary Fellowship, Faculty of Pain Medicine, ANZCA (Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists).
2008 WiT (Women in Technology): Biotech Outstanding Achievement Award
2002 Meritorious Mention for Sustained Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision
2001 Meritorious Mention for Sustained Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Maree Smith is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research impacts
Maree is a leading researcher internationally in the pain field. Spinifex Pharmaceuticals was formed in 2005 to commercialize her angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor antagonists technology for neuropathic pain and subsequently chronic inflammatory pain. Spinifex was acquired by Novartis in mid-2015 on the basis of successful early phase clinical trials in patients with post-herpetic neuralgia, a type of peripheral neuropathic pain that is often intractable.
Also, she has highly specialized expertise in the pain field encompassing a portfolio of 15 innovative rodent pain models that closely mimic individual human pain conditions. These models combined with the OECD GLP accreditation of the CIPDD facility means that these capabilities are unique in Australia and rare outside of large pharmaceutical companies internationally.
Works
Search Professor Maree Smith’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
J-2156, a small molecule somatostatin type 4 receptor agonist, alleviated hindpaw hypersensitivity in the streptozotocin-induced rat model of painful diabetic neuropathy but with a 2-fold decrease in potency at an advanced stage in the model, mimicking morphine
Kuo, A., Imam, M. Z., Li, R., Lin, L., Raboczyj, A., Bohmer, A. E., Nicholson, J. R., Corradini, L. and Smith, M. T. (2024). J-2156, a small molecule somatostatin type 4 receptor agonist, alleviated hindpaw hypersensitivity in the streptozotocin-induced rat model of painful diabetic neuropathy but with a 2-fold decrease in potency at an advanced stage in the model, mimicking morphine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15 1346801. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1346801
2024
Book Chapter
Pain pharmacology and the pharmacological management of pain
Smith, Maree T. and Muralidharan, Arjun (2024). Pain pharmacology and the pharmacological management of pain. Pain: a textbook for health professionals. (pp. 225-248) edited by Hubert van Griensven and Jenny Strong. London, United Kingdom: Elsevier.
2023
Journal Article
seco-1-Azacubane-2-carboxylic acid: derivative scope and comparative biological evaluation
Kong, Dehui, Fahrenhorst-Jones, Tyler, Kuo, Andy, Simmons, Jacinta L., Tan, Lendl, Burns, Jed M., Pierens, Gregory K., Li, Rui, West, Nicholas P., Boyle, Glen M., Smith, Maree T., Savage, G. Paul and Williams, Craig M. (2023). seco-1-Azacubane-2-carboxylic acid: derivative scope and comparative biological evaluation. The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 89 (1), 798-803. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02333
2023
Journal Article
Angiotensin II type 2 receptor signalling as a pain target: bench, bedside and back-translation
Shepherd, Andrew J., Rice, Andrew SC. and Smith, Maree T. (2023). Angiotensin II type 2 receptor signalling as a pain target: bench, bedside and back-translation. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 73 102415, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2023.102415
2023
Journal Article
In Vitro Assessment of the Metabolic Stability of Two Novel Endomorphin-2 Analogs, CYX-5 and CYX-6, in Rat Liver Microsomes
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Ghassabian, Sussan, Kuo, Andy, Cai, Yunxin, Qin, Yajuan, Li, Tingyou and Smith, Maree T. (2023). In Vitro Assessment of the Metabolic Stability of Two Novel Endomorphin-2 Analogs, CYX-5 and CYX-6, in Rat Liver Microsomes. European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, 48 (4), 463-466. doi: 10.1007/s13318-023-00828-6
2023
Journal Article
The NLRP3 inflammasome: role in the pathobiology of chronic pain
Chen, Chen and Smith, Maree T. (2023). The NLRP3 inflammasome: role in the pathobiology of chronic pain. Inflammopharmacology, 31 (4), 1589-1603. doi: 10.1007/s10787-023-01235-8
2023
Journal Article
Multitargeted opioid ligand discovery as a strategy to retain analgesia and reduce opioid-related adverse effects
Smith, Maree T., Kong, Dehui, Kuo, Andy, Imam, Mohammad Z. and Williams, Craig M. (2023). Multitargeted opioid ligand discovery as a strategy to retain analgesia and reduce opioid-related adverse effects. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 66 (6), 3746-3784. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01695
2023
Journal Article
CYX-5, a G-protein biassed MOP receptor agonist, DOP receptor antagonist and KOP receptor agonist, evokes constipation but not respiratory depression relative to morphine in rats
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Kuo, Andy, Ghassabian, Sussan, Cai, Yunxin, Qin, Yajuan, Li, Tingyou and Smith, Maree T. (2023). CYX-5, a G-protein biassed MOP receptor agonist, DOP receptor antagonist and KOP receptor agonist, evokes constipation but not respiratory depression relative to morphine in rats. Pharmacological Reports, 75 (3), 634-646. doi: 10.1007/s43440-023-00446-8
2022
Journal Article
Success in navigating hurdles to oral delivery of a bioactive peptide complement antagonist through use of nanoparticles to increase bioavailability and in vivo efficacy (Adv. Therap. 12/2022)
Xu, Weizhi, Kumar, Vinod, Cui, Cedric S., Li, Xaria X., Whittaker, Andrew K., Xu, Zhi Ping, Smith, Maree T., Woodruff, Trent M. and Han, Felicity Y. (2022). Success in navigating hurdles to oral delivery of a bioactive peptide complement antagonist through use of nanoparticles to increase bioavailability and in vivo efficacy (Adv. Therap. 12/2022). Advanced Therapeutics, 5 (12) 2270030, 1-1. doi: 10.1002/adtp.202270030
2022
Journal Article
Prostate cancer induced bone pain: pathobiology, current treatments and pain responses from recent clinical trials
Smith, A. E., Muralidharan, A. and Smith, M. T. (2022). Prostate cancer induced bone pain: pathobiology, current treatments and pain responses from recent clinical trials. Discover Oncology, 13 (1) 108, 1-23. doi: 10.1007/s12672-022-00569-z
2022
Journal Article
Design, synthesis and evaluation of alpha lipoic acid derivatives to treat multiple sclerosis-associated central neuropathic pain
Kong, Dehui, Saqer, Alaa A., Carpinelli de Jesus, Matheus, Khan, Nemat, Jones, Alun, Blanchfield, Joanne T., Smith, Maree T. and Williams, Craig M. (2022). Design, synthesis and evaluation of alpha lipoic acid derivatives to treat multiple sclerosis-associated central neuropathic pain. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 69 116889, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.116889
2022
Journal Article
Success in navigating hurdles to oral delivery of a bioactive peptide complement antagonist through use of nanoparticles to increase bioavailability and in vivo efficacy
Xu, Weizhi, Kumar, Vinod, Cui, Cedric S., Li, Xaria X., Whittaker, Andrew K., Xu, Zhi Ping, Smith, Maree T., Woodruff, Trent M. and Han, Felicity Y (2022). Success in navigating hurdles to oral delivery of a bioactive peptide complement antagonist through use of nanoparticles to increase bioavailability and in vivo efficacy. Advanced Therapeutics, 5 (12) 2200109, 2200109. doi: 10.1002/adtp.202200109
2022
Journal Article
Nonopioid analgesics discovery and the Valley of Death: EMA401 from concept to clinical trial
Smith, Maree T. (2022). Nonopioid analgesics discovery and the Valley of Death: EMA401 from concept to clinical trial. Pain, Publish Ahead of Print (S1), S15-S28. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002675
2022
Journal Article
Gait analysis as a robust pain behavioural endpoint in the chronic phase of the monoiodoacetate-induced knee joint pain in the rat
Han, Felicity Y., Brockman, David A., Nicholson, Janet R., Corradini, Laura and Smith, Maree Therese (2022). Gait analysis as a robust pain behavioural endpoint in the chronic phase of the monoiodoacetate-induced knee joint pain in the rat. Behavioural Pharmacology, 33 (1), 23-31. doi: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000663
2022
Journal Article
Journey to the market: The evolution of biodegradable drug delivery systems
Zhu, Minze, Whittaker, Andrew K., Han, Felicity Y. and Smith, Maree T. (2022). Journey to the market: The evolution of biodegradable drug delivery systems. Applied Sciences, 12 (2) 935, 935. doi: 10.3390/app12020935
2022
Journal Article
Analgesic opioid ligand discovery based on nonmorphinan scaffolds derived from natural sources
Smith, Maree T., Kong, Dehui, Kuo, Andy, Imam, Mohammad Z. and Williams, Craig M. (2022). Analgesic opioid ligand discovery based on nonmorphinan scaffolds derived from natural sources. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 65 (3) acs.jmedchem.0c01915, 1612-1661. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01915
2022
Book Chapter
Side effects of central analgesic drugs
Imam, M. Z., Kuo, A. and Smith, M. T. (2022). Side effects of central analgesic drugs. Drug discovery and evaluation: safety and pharmacokinetic assays. (pp. 1-24) Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-73317-9_70-1
2021
Journal Article
Sustained-release ketamine-loaded lipid-particulate system: in vivo assessment in mice
Xu, Weizhi, Maqbool, Faheem, Kumar, Vinod, Falconer, James R., Cui, Cedric S., Woodruff, Trent M., Borges, Karin, Whittaker, Andrew K., Smith, Maree T. and Han, Felicity Y. (2021). Sustained-release ketamine-loaded lipid-particulate system: in vivo assessment in mice. Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 12 (10), 2518-2526. doi: 10.1007/s13346-021-01093-3
2021
Journal Article
Pharmacological characterization of the chronic phase of the monoiodoacetate‐induced rat model of osteoarthritis pain in the knee joint
Han, Felicity Y., Brockman, David A., Nicholson, Janet R., Corradini, Laura and Smith, Maree T. (2021). Pharmacological characterization of the chronic phase of the monoiodoacetate‐induced rat model of osteoarthritis pain in the knee joint. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 48 (11) 1440-1681.13551, 1515-1522. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.13551
2021
Journal Article
Editorial: verification of animal pain models by reverse translation
Caudle, Robert M., Smith, Maree Therese and Romero-Sandoval, E. Alfonso (2021). Editorial: verification of animal pain models by reverse translation. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12 778880, 778880. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.778880
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Maree Smith is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Pathobiology of Neuropathic (nerve damage) Pain
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Novel neuropathic pain therapeutics discovery
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Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: Towards Improved Drug Treatments
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Discovery and Pharmacological Evaluation of Novel Analgesics for the Relief of Ross River Virus Induced Chronic Pain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kate Schroder, Dr Andy Kuo
-
Doctor Philosophy
Novel long-acting and orally delivered conotoxin-based peptides with both analgesic efficacy and disease modifying potential
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Richard Clark, Dr Andy Kuo
-
Doctor Philosophy
Discovery and development of an Antibiotic Modulator to Break Antibiotic Resistance in a Mouse Infection Model
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Walker, Dr Suzanne Parker, Dr Andy Kuo, Dr David De Oliveira
-
Doctor Philosophy
A novel treatment for chronic pain
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Andy Kuo, Dr Felicity Han
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the role acid-sensing ion channels in disease progression and pain associated with neuroinflammatory conditions.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Neville Butcher, Dr Nemat Khan, Dr Lachlan Rash
Completed supervision
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Novel prolonged-release polymeric particles for relief of intractable neuropathic pain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker, Dr Felicity Han
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Chronic low back pain: pathobiological investigations towards improved treatments
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andy Kuo
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Insight into the Pathobiology of Breast Cancer Induced Bone Pain in a Rat Model
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nemat Khan
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Analgesic efficacy of novel opioid compounds relative to adverse effects in rats
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andy Kuo
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Cancer Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN): Preclinical Studies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kristofer Thurecht, Professor Andrew Whittaker
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Cellular and molecular insights into multiple sclerosis-induced neuropathic pain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Establishment, optimisation and pharmacological characterisation of rat model of postherpetic neuralgia pain with varicella zoster virus
Principal Advisor
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS CONTRIBUTING TO PROSTATE CANCER-INDUCED BONE PAIN
Principal Advisor
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Systematic evaluation of in vitro and in vivo opioid profiling
Principal Advisor
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Utilisation of nitric oxide donors for the relief of mechanical allodynia in a rat model of painful diabetic neuropathy
Principal Advisor
-
2009
Doctor Philosophy
Painful diabetic neuropathy: preclinical studies to improve therapeutic insight
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Cabot
-
2008
Doctor Philosophy
Preclinical Studies in Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gregory Monteith, Professor Peter Cabot
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2005
Master Philosophy
PHARMACOKINETIC-PHARMACODYNAMIC MODELLING OF ANTI-ALLODYNIC EFFECTS OF GABAPENTIN AND OXYCODONE IN A RODENT MODEL OF PERSISTENT NERUOPATHIC PAIN
Principal Advisor
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
Studies investigating (i) The development of antinociceptive tolerance to oxycodone and cross-tolerance with morphine in rats (ii) Elucidation of opioid receptors mediating oxycodone's antinociception using radioligand binding and (iii)antiallodynia of oxycodone and morphine in a rat model of neuropathic pain
Principal Advisor
-
2003
Doctor Philosophy
NEUROPHARMACOLOGY OF MORPHINE-3-glucuronide (M3G)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gregory Monteith
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Analgesic Drug Discovery
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Craig Williams
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Advanced Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Ultrahigh Field to Investigate Neurological Microstructural Changes in an EAE Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nyoman Kurniawan
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Bioanalytical method development and validation to investigate cytochrome P450 mediated drug metabolism in patients receiving extracorporeal life support.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kiran Shekar
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Establishment, optimization and characterization of a rat model of breast cancer induced bone pain
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andy Kuo, Professor Irina Vetter
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Skin sensitisation prediction using in vitro screening methods
Associate Advisor
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Development of magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging at 16.4T to assess neurological degeneration in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nyoman Kurniawan, Professor Graham Galloway
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
"Phantom Skin Pain" - Neuropathic Pain Following Burn Injury: An Examination of Incidence and Treatment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Cabot, Professor Jeffrey Lipman
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of Fucoidin efficacy in A-peptide induced Alzheimer¿s disease rodent model
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Cabot
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2002
Doctor Philosophy
QUALITY USE OF MEDICINES: FROM DUE TO RURAL COMMUNITY PHARMACY PRACTICE
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Sue Tett
Media
Enquiries
Contact Emeritus Professor Maree Smith directly for media enquiries about:
- Bioanalysis - drugs
- Clinical trials - drug development
- Drug analysis
- Drug development
- Efficacy models - pharmacology
- Opioid pharmacology
- Pain management - pharmacy
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacy
- Preclinical drug development
- Preclinical efficacy models
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