Rate My Professor Tristan Reekie

Reekie's research focuses on small molecule organic chemistry for medicinal, materials, and plant science applications. His projects include novel naphthalene bioisosteres for drugs and agrichemicals, usnic acid derivatives targeting cancer cells, and small-molecule chromophores. He co-founded the chemistry for spin-out Kinoxis Therapeutics, heading its chemistry. Committed to teaching and outreach via the Australian Chemistry Olympiad, he has earned the RACI Athel Beckwith Lectureship in Organic Chemistry (2023), RACI Peter Andrews Award for Medicinal Chemistry Innovation (2022), and Young Tall Poppy Science Award (2020). Select publications: "Low intrinsic efficacy for G protein activation can explain the improved side effect profiles of new opioid agonists" (Gillis et al., Science Signaling, 2020); "The pyrazole derivative of usnic acid inhibits the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo" (Gimła et al., Cancer Cell International, 2023); "Divergent reactivity of usnic acid..." (Gunawan et al., Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2023); "Synthesis and spectroscopic investigation of substituted piperazine-2,5-dione derivatives" (Stewart et al., Tetrahedron, 2024). His contributions advance CNS therapeutics and oncology.