Alberto is currently a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology/ Pharmacognosy in the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, UEL. He joined UEL as a Lecturer in September 2007. Before, he worked as a Research and Teaching Fellow and Part-time Lecturer. He is a member of the Medicines Research Group. He has been involved in several projects on the study of medicinal plants as a source of potential new drugs. He worked as a Research Assistant (1998-2001) at the Yucatan Centre for Scientific Research, (CICY) in Mexico. While at CICY, he was awarded a scholarship by the Mexican Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Greenwich. During his PhD he carried out phytochemical and pharmacological studies of endemic Yucatecan medicinal plants. He also holds a BSc in Chemistry (UADY, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan), a PGCert in Teaching and Lerning in Higher Education (UEL) and he is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

His research experience includes in vitro bioassay methods for the evaluation of cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, enzyme-inhibition and DNA interaction activities of natural products. He also has expertise in the use of several chromatographic and spectroscopic-based techniques for the analysis, isolation and structural elucidation of bioactive natural products. He currently works on collaborative projects with institutes such as the Natural Resources Institute, UK; University of Greenwich, UK; the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, UK and the Yucatan Centre for Scientific Research (CICY), Mexico.

• School Research Committee (Member)
• School Ethics Committee (Member)
• University Ethics Committee (Member)
• Year 3 Tutor
• Module Leader for BS2041, BS2042 and BS1270
• Research  

• Evaluation of the pharmacological activity of natural products and studies on the mechanism of action. Main interest in anti-inflammatory, apoptosis-inducing, cytotoxic, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antispasmodic activity of natural products.

• Detection, isolation and identification of bioactive metabolites produced by natural sources. Special interest in the chemistry and pharmacology of  saponins and the potential use of saponins as adjuvants in chemotherapy.

• The use of analytical techniques for evaluation of the quality control of phytomedicines. 

• BSc in Pharmacology
• BSc in Herbal Medicine
• BSc in Forensic Science
• MSc in Biomedical Science
• MSc in Biotechnology

• BS0004 Extended Degree Chemistry
• BS1000 Skills for Bioscience
• BS1270 Phytochemistry and Applied Biochemistry
• BS2041 Introductory Pharmacology
• BS2042 Neuropharmacology and Employability
• BS3041 Systems Pharmacology
• BS3024 Medical Microbiology
• BS3035 Clinical Physiology and Employability
• BS3042 Behavioural and Chemical Pharmacology
• BS3063 Individual Research Project (Double)
• BSM015 Forensic Analysis
• BSM002 Research Skills

PhD students

• Jiayu Gao (2010) ‘Anti-tumour Effects of Scutellaria Species on Human Lung Cell Lines.'

• Frances Watkins (2010 to present): "Ethnomedical Approaches to Discovering Novel antimicrobials from England's Cultural Anglo-Saxon Heritage"

Publications

• Watkins, F., Corcoran, O., Pendry, B. and Sánchez-Medina, A. (2011) " Anglo-Saxon Pharmacopoeia revisited - a potential treasure in drug discovery?" Invited review for Drug Discovery Today. Submitted.

• García-sosa, K., Sánchez-Medina, A., Zacchino, S., Veitch, N.C., and Peña-Rodríguez, L. M. (2011) “studies on the antifungal activity of sakurasosaponin”. Nat. Prod. Res. In Press.

• Sánchez-Medina, A., Peña-Rodríguez, L. M., May-Pat, F., Karagianis, G, Waterman, P. G. , Mallet, A. I. and Habtemariam, S. (2010) “Identification of sakurasosaponin as a cytotoxic principle from Jacquinia flammea”. Nat. Prod. Commun 5:365-368. Abstract

• Sánchez-Medina, A., Stevenson, P. C., Habtemariam, S., Peña-Rodríguez, L. M., Corcoran, O., Mallet, A. I. and Veitch, N. C. (2009) “Triterpenoid saponins from a cytotoxic root extract of Sideroxylon foetidissimum subsp. gaumeri”. Phytochemistry 70:765-772. Abstract

• Gao, J., Sánchez-Medina, A., Pendry, B. A., Webb, G. P., Hughes, M. J. and Corcoran O. (2008) “Comparison of flavonoid biomarkers in commercial skullcap (Scutellaria) tinctures”. J. of Pharm. Pharmaceut. Sci.11:77-87. Paper

• A Sanchez-Medina, PC Stevenson, S Habtemariam, LM Pena-Rodriguez, O Corcoran, TA Mallet and NC Veitch. (2008) "Triterpenoid saponins from the cytotoxic root extract of Sideroxylon foetidissimum, an endemic Yucatecan medicinal plant". Planta Medica 74:908-909. Abstract 

• Sánchez-Medina, A., Etheridge, C. J., Hawkes, G. E., Hylands, P. J., Pendry, B. A., Hughes, M. J.  and Corcoran, O. (2007) “Comparison of rosmarinic acid content in commercial tinctures produced from fresh and dried lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)”. J. Pharm. Pharmaceut. Sci. 10:455-463. Paper

Oral Presentations

• Westhead, E., Rebolledo-Mendez, G. and Sánchez-Medina, A. “The use of a Quiz-based Tutorial as an educational tool” UEL Annual Learning and Teaching Conference” London, UK, July 2010. Prezi

• Sánchez-Medina, A. and Pendry, B. “Evolution of the Medicines Research Group at UEL” The School of Health and Bioscence Annual Conference” London, UK. June, 2010. Prezi

• Sánchez-Medina, A., Stevenson, P. C., Habtemariam, S., Peña-Rodríguez, L. M., Corcoran, O., Mallet, A. I. And Veitch, N. C. (2009) “Cytotoxic Saponins From Two Endemic Yucatecan Medicinal Plants” Kings-Kew-Square Meeting. London,UK,September 2009. PDF

• Sánchez-Medina, A. “Saponins.- Chemistry and biological activities” invited speaker, Natural Products Symposium, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, 2008.

• Sánchez-Medina,A., Stevenson, P.C., Habtemariam, S., Peña-Rodríguez, L. M., Corcoran, O. and Veitch, N. C. “Cytotoxic saponins from an endemic Yucatecan medicinal plant” 7th Joint Meeting of AFERP, ASP, GA, PSE & SIF; Natural Products with Pharmaceutical, Nutraceutical, Cosmetic and Agrochemical Interest. Athens, Greece, 2008. PDF

Posters

• Watkins, F., Corcoran, O., Pendry, B. and Sánchez-Medina, A. "Rediscovering the Value of Anglo-Saxon Medical Manuscripts" 146th Conference of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. Lancaster, UK. October 16-17, 2010. PDF

• Watkins, F., Corcoran, O., Pendry, B. and Sánchez-Medina, A. " ‘Medicinal plants used in Anglo-Saxon England for the treatment of bacterial infections" College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy Seminar Series “What on Earth is Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine?” University College London, London, UK. October 4, 2010. PDF

• Gao, J., Cutler, R., Sánchez-Medina, A. and Corcoran, O. “Proteomics Analysis Of Cell Death Mechanisms Induced By Scutellaria Baicalensis On Human Lung Cancer Cells Sk-Lu-1 And Sk-Mes-1”. Presentado En La 17th Ecdo Euroconference, Destruction, Degradation And Death, Cell Death Control In Cancer And Neurodegeneration. Institute Pasteur, Paris, France. September 23-26, 2009.

• A. Sánchez-Medina, C. J. Etheridge, B. A. Pendry, G. E. Hawkes, P. J. Hylands, M. J. Hughes, and O. Corcoran. “Quantification of Rosmarinic Acid Content in Commercial Tinctures of Lemonbalm” 5th National Meeting on Natural Products. Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, 2008.

• A. Sánchez-Medina, P.C. Stevenson, S. Habtemariam, L. M. Peña-Rodríguez, O. Corcoran and N. C. Veitch. “Triterpenoid Saponins from Sideroxylon foetidissimum Jacq. subsp. gaumeri” 5th National Meeting on Natural Products. Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico,2008. PDF

• A. Sánchez-Medina, C. J. Etheridge, G. E. Hawkes, P. J. Hylands, B. A. Pendry, L. Nelson, M. J. Hughes, and O. Corcoran. “Quantification of Rosmarinic Acid Content in Commercial Tinctures of Lemonbalm (Melissa officinalis)” 144th Conference of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. Chester, 2008.

• J. Gao, A. Sánchez-Medina, B. A. Pendry, L. Nelson, M. J. Hughes, G. P. Webb and O. Corcoran.  “Wide variability in the biomarkers for commercial skullcap tinctures” 144th Conference of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. Chester, 2008.

Publications

• Sánchez-Medina, A., García-Sosa, K., May-Pat, F. and Peña-Rodríguez, L. M.  (2001). Evaluation of biological activity of crude extracts from plants used in Yucatecan traditional medicine.  Part I.  Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and beta-glucosidase inhibition activities.  Phytomedicine 8: 144-151.

• Sánchez-Medina, A., García-Sosa, K., May-Pat, F. and Peña-Rodríguez, L. M.  (2001). Evaluation of biological activity of crude extracts from plants used in Yucatecan traditional medicine.  Part II.  DNA-Interacting Activity. Phytomedicine 8: 236-239.

Oral Presentations

• A. Sánchez-Medina and L. M. Peña-Rodríguez “Bioprospecting development of Screening and Phytochemical skills. Evaluation of the native flora of the Yucatan Peninsula as a source of new drugs” invited speakers to the Higher Education Links Closure organized by the British Council Mexico. Mérida, Yucatán, México, 2005

• A. Sánchez-Medina, L. M. Peña-Rodríguez, G. Karagianis, P. G. Waterman, S. Habtemariam. “Cytotoxic saponin from the root extract of Jacquinia flammmea” International Conference of Saponins: Phytochemistry and Applications of Plant Saponins. Pulawy, Poland, 2004.

• A. Sánchez-Medina, E.  Granados, I. Rojas and A. Rojas. “Evaluation of the antispasmodic activity of flavonoids and diterpenes on isolated guinea pig ileum”.  VI National Conference of the VI Summer of Scientific Research. Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, México, 1996.

• A. Sánchez-Medina, M. L. Garduño and L. Alvarez-Berber, L. “Xenobiotic transformation of traquilobanoic acid by Aspergillus niger”.  National Conference of the V Summer of Scientific Research. Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México, 1995.

Posters

• A. Sánchez-Medina, K. Garcia-Sosa, S. Habtemariam and L. M. Peña-Rodríguez. “isolation of antifungal metabolites from the root extract of Jacquinia flammmea” XI Mexican Congress of Chemistry. Morelia, Michoacán, México, 2005.

• A. Fuentes-Garcia, A. Sanchez-Medina, and L. M. Peña-Rodríguez “Evaluation of the biological activity of organic crude extracts from native plants of the Yucatan peninsula” XXV Latinoamerican Congress of Chemistry. Cancún, Quintana Roo, México, 2002.

• G. J. Erosa-Rejon, A. Sanchez-Medina, and L. M. Peña-Rodríguez. “Identification of metabolites with antioxidant activity from leaves of Jatropha gaumeri” XXV Latinoamerican Congress of Chemistry. Cancún, Quintana Roo, México, 2002.

• A. Sánchez-Medina, K. García Sosa, and L. M. Peña-Rodríguez. “The use of simple bioassay methods for the detection of biological activity en plant crude extracts” XXXII National Conference of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México, 1999.