Porter, Elaine
Job Title
Research Biochemist
Department
Jodrell Laboratory
Section
Sustainable Uses
Science Teams:
Joined Kew:
1990Qualifications & Appointments
BSc, Applied Biology, Hatfield Polytechnic, 1990
PhD, Birkbeck College, Univ. London, 2004
Sessional Lecturer, GEDS, Birkbeck College 2003-
Role
Chemical fingerprinting and isolation of plant-derived compounds using various techniques for authentication, chemotaxonomic and applied projects.
Plants used in Traditional Medicines and by various companies in herbal preparations are extracted and analysed using various chromatographic techniques. The purpose of authentication of plant material used in TCM is to contribute data to various Pharmacoepias. Many projects are undertaken in collaboration with industrial and academic partners. Numerous methods are applied to characterize, identify and isolate plant-derived compounds with potential pharmaceutical and agrochemical activity. Plant-derived compounds, especially flavonoids, polyhydroxyalkaloids and alkaloids can be utilized in chemosystematics, with particular interest for studies in Myrtaceae, Passifloraceae and Amaryllidaceae. Other duties include the co-ordination of the day-to-day running of the Sustainable Uses Group laboratory, induction and training of visitors and new staff to the section, Health and Safety duties, co-management of undergraduate student(s) and updating the plant accessions databases, used to record information about the all plants studied within the section.
Projects
- Authentication and Chemical Fingerprinting of Economically Important Species
- Diversity of Biologically Active Plants and Plant-Derived Compound
- Chemistry and Biological Activity of Myrtaceae
- Chemosystematics and Biological Activity of Alismatid and Lilioid Monocots
- Chemosystematics and biological activity of Lamiaceae
- Importance of Legumes and Legume-Derived Compounds in Medicine and Agriculture
- Medicinal Uses of British Plants
- Plant-Insect Interactions
- Systematic Phytochemical and Sustainable Use Studies in Malpighiales
Selected Recent Publications
Fang, R., Veitch, N.C., Kite, G.C., Howes, M-J., Porter, E.A. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2011). Glycosylated constituents of Iris fulva and Iris brevicaulis. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 59(1): 124-128.
Stevenson, P.C. Muyinza, H. Hall, D.R. Porter, E.A. Farman, D.I., Talwana, H. & Mwanga, R.O.M. (2009). Chemical basis for resistance in sweetpotato Ipomoea batatas to the sweetpotato weevil Cylas puncticollis. Pure Appl. Chem. 81(1): 141-151.
Kite, G.C., Porter, E.A. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2007). Chromatographic behaviour of steroidal saponins studied by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatorgraphy A 1148(2): 177-183.
Kite, G.C., Porter, E.A., Denison, F.C., Grayer, R.J., Veitch, N.C., Butler, I. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2006). Data-directed scan sequence for the general assignment of C-glycosylflavone O-glycosides in plant extracts by liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A 1104: 123–131.
Nikolova, M.T., Grayer, R.J., Genova, E. & Porter, E.A. (2006). Exudate flavonoids from Bulgarian species of Salvia. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 34: 360-364.
Selected Earlier Publications
Porter, E.A. (2004). Distribution and taxonomic significance of polyhydroxyalkaloids, phenolic acids and flavonoids in the Myrtaceae. PhD Thesis. London: Birkbeck College, University of London. 233 pp.
Simmonds, M.S.J., Stevenson, P.C., Porter, E.A. & Veitch, N.C. (2001). Insect antifeedant activity of three new tetranortriterpenoids from Trichilia pallida. Journal of Natural Products 64: 1117-1120.
Porter, E.A., Nic Lughadha, E. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2000). Taxonomic implications of polyhydroxyalkaloids in the Myrtaceae. Kew Bulletin 55: 615-632.
Egan, M.J., Kite, G.C., Porter, E.A., Simmonds, M.S.J. & Howells, S. (2000). Electrospray and APCI analysis of polyhydroxyalkaloids using positive and negative collision induced dissociation experiments in a quadrupole ion trap. The Analyst 125: 1409-1414.
Simmonds, M.S.J., Kite, G.C. & Porter, E.A. (1998). Taxonomic distribution of iminosugars in plants and their biological activities. In Stutz, A. (ed). Iminosugars as glycosidase inhibitors: Nojirimycin and beyond. VCH-Wiley, London. 8-30.
