Natural products

The natural products team is based at the Ferrier Research Institute in Gracefield, Lower Hutt.

The team, led by Associate Professor Simon Hinkley, specialises in the study of natural products. The team focuses on the isolation, characterisation, and modification of complex carbohydrates—such as those found in plants, seaweeds, and therapeutic agents like heparin and heparan sulfate.

Merging fundamental science with practical applications in carbohydrate research, the natural products team works towards advancing human health through various therapeutic applications. The team drives innovation and commercialisation opportunities in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

In addition to its work in complex carbohydrates, the team has broad expertise in drug development. This includes the complexities of scaling up drug production and managing waste. It also includes investigating the nutritional role and function of sugars in various foods and organisms to contribute to broader research in nutrition, health, and food science.

A key strength of the team is its collaborative environment. Postgraduate students work alongside experienced scientists, providing them with invaluable mentorship, hands-on experience, and the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge science.

Current projects

Investigating the role of black moulds in the environment

Research on the impact of black moulds on indoor air quality and whether this contributes to New Zealand's asthma rates was undertaken through collaboration with the University of Otago supported by the Health Research Council.

Developing organic synthetic processes to create new biopolymers for use as commodity chemicals

Research that contributes to advancing sustainable materials that offer alternatives to conventional plastics—such as for tissue repair. This work was completed with A*Star (Singapore) and the University of Queensland, together with GlycoSyn (Lower Hutt) as the key manufacturing partner.

Research on the dietary components of the world’s largest parrot, the Kākāpō

This flightless and critically endangered taonga breeds very erratically and fertility appears closely related to its preferred diet of Rimu fruit. Work in collaboration with recovery teams, students, and colleagues at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington are tackling this important question.

Collaborating with scientists at the University of Otago to develop bandages made from seaweeds

This research reflects a growing trend of looking to the marine environment for innovative, renewable solutions.

The natural products team has diverse expertise, access to state-of-the-art equipment, and breadth of projects. This reflects the team’s commitment to tackling scientific challenges with real-world applications in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, sustainable materials, and food technology.

Research impact

An exciting development for the natural products team is the culmination of a 15-year collaboration with researchers in Singapore and Australia, resulting in a drug based on heparan sulfate.

The technology, recently acquired by the Australian-Singaporean regenerative medicine company Osteopore, is now scheduled for the first in-human clinical trial to treat and repair bone injuries via high tibial osteotomy—a procedure used to correct bow-leggedness, particularly prevalent in Asian populations.

The trial uses a surgical wedge—in this trial coated with heparan sulfate—to realign the bone and accelerate bone repair more safely and less invasively than current therapies. This represents a significant advancement in bone injury treatment and is the first application of a heparan sulfate as a human therapeutic. If successful, this technology will speed up fracture repair rates and open the door to related tissue repair therapeutics.

For more information about Ferrier’s work in this field, please contact ferrier@vuw.ac.nz.

Publications