Newcastle University

Roles and Responsibilities

Degree Programme Director, MSc Medicinal Plants and Functional Foods
Member MSc Board of Studies, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
Member MSc Board of Examiners, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

Qualifications

BSc (Hons.), MSc., PhD

Memberships

Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research
North East Dementias & Neurodegenerative Diseases Network (DeNDRoN)
UK Biobank Enhancement Subgroup (brain imaging) Network
Member of the North East Bionet Bioactive Chemistry Working Group

Academic member American Botanical Council

North East Universities Medicinal Plant Research Group 

Research Interests

Medicinal plants and natural product pharmacognosy/ pharmacology
Drug Discovery
Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and related issue
Phyto-chemicals and neurophysiological/ pharmacological effects
Food Quality & Health
Phytochemistry and Mechanistic enzymology
Medical and veterinary applications of natural plant products

Current Work

The isolation and chemical characterization of novel active components from natural products, particularly medicinal plants, and screening for key bioactivities in disease mechanisms – particularly those associated with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type -such as neuromodulation, neurotransmitter function, neuroprotection (antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytics and anti-amyloidal agents) and enzyme inhibition (cholinesterases, BACE) with a view to developing new strategies for the prevention of and/ or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research Roles

In addition to conduction my own research and supervising postgraduate (MSc and PhD) students, I am also Director of the North East Universities Medicinal Plant Research Group (MPRG). The MPRC) was founded in 1996. It is a research partnership between the Universities of Newcastle, Northumbria and Durham, in the North East of England (UK). Our mission is to develop a ‘centre of research excellence’ for interdisciplinary research in the pharmacology of medicinal plants and to apply the advances in knowledge that emanate from this to develop novel plant based bioactives for health and disease, particularly in areas of neuroscience, clinical brain ageing, psychology, oncology, diabetes and ageing and health.

I am also a member of the Institute of Neuroscience Natural Products Pharmacology research group: www.ncl.ac.uk/ion/research/themes/neuropharmacology/natural.htm.

Postgraduate Supervision

I am currently co-supervising  5 PhD students. Two other PhD’s to commence September 2011.

Esteem Indicators

Selected Invited Lectures
First International Conference about Pharmacology of natural Products and BLACPMA, Varadero, Cuba, 20-24 Novermber 2006

The 10th Shangai Internatiobnal Forum on Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry (Bio-Forum) & 13th Annual Conference of Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association, 20-30th May 2008

The British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Brighton 1-3 April 2009

Vitafoods International Conference (Symposium Chair and Speaker), Geneva, 5-7 May 2009

Second International Symposium on Pharmacology of Natural Products, (FAPRONATURA) “OASIS VARADERO 1920” Hotel, Varadero Beach, Matanzas, Cuba. June 3-7, 2009

Brain Ageing and Dementia in Newcastle: Past, Present and Future. Medical School, Newcastle University, 19th May 2010

International Congress of Applied Psychology, 11-16 July, 2010, Melbourne Australia

Brain Ageing and Dementia in Developing Countries, 4-7 December, 2012, Nairobi, Kenya 

Reviewer of Academic Manuscript for:
Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
Marine Biotechnology
Phytochemistry
Phytotherapy Research
Journal of the American College of Nutrition
European Journal of Neuroscience

Journal of Medicinal Food 

Human Psychopharmacology

African Journal of Biotechnology 

Editorships

Associate editor, European Journal of medicnal Plants

Guest Editor, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Other invitations
PhD External Examiner, School of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Durham University.
Independent assessor on a report for an application for transfer from MPhil to PhD – School of Science & Engineering, Teesside University.

Invited as an International Expert Panel Member by the Medical Council of South Africa to review and assess the progress and status of their Indigenous Knowledge System Unit (Cape Town) against its 5 year research mandate: September 2011.

Public Interviews
Dissemination of knowledge/ research to general public (National TV interviews, International/national / local radio interviews; International and Nations/ local newspaper articles – featuring my research on tea consumption and prevention of dementia (2006)

Funding

Norvatis, Rington’s Tea Company, Mental Health Foundation, Royal Society, DEFRA, KTP with Citrox Limited, Wellcome Trust Summer Studentship, BBSRC CASE Studentship,Wirz Herbs

Projects

• MITEeHEN : Plant-derived products for control of Red Mite in laying hen housing systems
  Project Leader(s): Dr Jonathan Guy, Dr Olivier Sparagano
• Plant phytochemicals and neurophysiological effects
  Project Leader(s): Ed Okello

Undergraduate Teaching

ACE 1023 IT and Numeracy Skills for Nutrition (Module Leader)
ACE 1030 Man’s use of plants

ACE 2050 Introduction to medicinal plants (Module Leader) 

Postgraduate Teaching

ACE 8051 Production of herbal medicines and functional foods (Module Leader)
ACE 8052 Traditional use of plants (including ethno-pharmacology) (Module Leader)
ACE 8053 Functional foods in nutrition and health

• Kumar S, Harris RJ, Seal CJ, Okello EJ. An aqueous extract of Withania somnifera root inhibits amyloid-B fibril formation in vitro. Phytotherapy Research 2012, 26(1), 113-117.
• Ayissi Mbomo R, Gartside SE, Ngo Bum E, Njikam N, Okello E, McQuade R. Effect of Mimosa pudica (Linn.) extract on anxiety behaviour and GABAergic regulation of 5-HT neuronal activity in the mouse. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2012, 26(4), 575-583.
• Kumar S, Okello EJ, Harris JR. Experimental Inhibition of Fibrillogenesis and Neurotoxicity by amyloid-beta (Aβ) and Other Disease-Related Peptides/Proteins by Plant Extracts and Herbal Compounds. In: Robin, H.J, ed. Protein Aggregation and Fibrillogenesis in Cerebral and Systemic Amyloid Disease. London: Springer, 2012, pp.295-328.
• Okello EJ, Leylabi R, McDougall GJ. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by green and white tea and their simulated intestinal metabolites. Food & Function 2012, 3, 651-661.
• Okello EJ, McDougall GJ, Kumar S, Seal CJ. In vitro protective effects of colon-available extract of Camellia sinensis (tea)against hydrogen peroxide and beta-amyloid (Aß(1–42)) induced cytotoxicity indifferentiated PC12 cells. Phytomedicine 2011, 18(8-9), 691-696.
• Kumar S, Seal CJ, Okello EJ. Kinetics of acetylcholinesterase inhibition by an aqueous extract of Withania somnifera roots. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 2011, 2(5), 1188-1192.
• Kennedy DO, Dodd FL, Robertson CB, Okello EJ, Reay JL, Scholey AB, Haskell CF. Monoterpenoid extract of sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia) with cholinesterase inhibiting properties improves cognitive performance and mood in healthy adults. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2011, 25(8), 1088-1100.
• Kumar S, Seal CJ, Howes MJ, Kite GC, Okello EJ. In vitro protective effects of Withania somnifera (L.) dunal root extract against hydrogen peroxide and beta-amyloid_(1-42)-induced cytotoxicity in differentialted PC12 cells. Phytotherapy Research 2010, 24(10), 1567-1574.
• Kennedy DO, Wightman EL, Reay JL, Lietz G, Okello EJ, Wilde A, Haskell CF. Effects of resveratrol on cerebral blood flow variables and cognitive performance in humans: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover investigation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010, 91(6), 1590-1597.
• George DR, Sparagano OAE, Port G, Okello E, Shiel RS, Guy JH. Environmental interactions with the toxicity of plant essential oils to the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 2010, 24(1), 1-8.
• Kennedy DO, Wightman E, Okello EJ. Medicinal plants, phytochemicals and Alzheimer's disease. In: Martinez, A, ed. Emerging Drugs and Targets for Alzheimer's Disease: Neuronal Plasticity, Neuronal Protection and Other Miscellaneous Strategies. London, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2010, pp.269-290.
• George DR, Sparagano OAE, Port G, Okello E, Shiel RS, Guy JH. The effect of essential oils showing acaricidal activity against the poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) on aspects of welfare and production of laying hens. Animal Welfare 2010, 19(3), 265-273.
• George DR, Sparagano OAE, Port G, Okello E, Shiel RS, Guy JH. Toxicity of plant essential oils to different life stages of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, and non-target invertebrates. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 2010, 24(1), 9-15.
• Crowch CM, Okello EJ. Kinetics of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities by aqueous extracts of Acacia nilotica (L.) and Rhamnus prinoides (L'Her.). African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 2009, 3(10), 469-475.
• George DR, Sparagano OAE, Port G, Okello E, Shiel RS, Guy JH. Repellence of plant essential oils to Dermanyssus gallinae and toxicity to the non-target invertebrate Tenebrio molitor. Veterinary Parasitology 2009, 162(1-2), 129-134.
• Tasker A, Ballard CG, Joachim C, Warden DR, Okello EJ, Perry RH, Khan N, Smith AD, Lehmann DJ, Perry EK. Butyrylcholinesterase K variant associated with higher enzyme activity in the temporal cortex of elderly patients. Neuroscience Letters 2008, 442(3), 297-299.
• Okello EJ, Dimaki C, Howes MJR, Houghton PJ, Perry EK. In vitro inhibition of human acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase by Narcissus poeticus L. (Amaryllidaceae) flower absolute. International Journal of Essential Oil Therapeutics 2008, 2(3), 105-110.
• George DR, Guy JH, Arkle S, Harrington D, De Luna C, Okello EJ, Shiel RS, Port G, Sparagano OAE. Use of Plant-derived Products to Control Arthropods of Veterinary Importance: A Review. Animal Biodiversity and Emerging Diseases: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2008, 1149, 23-26.
• Kennedy DO, Pace S, Haskell C, Okello EJ, Milne A, Scholey AB. Effects of cholinesterase inhibiting sage (Salvia officinalis) on mood, anxiety and performance on a psychological stressor battery. Neuropsychopharmacology 2006, 31(4), 845-852.
• Hasegawa T, Okello E, Yamada T. Protective effect of Japanese green tea against cognitive impairment in the elderly, a two-years follow-up observation . Alzheimer's and Dementia 2005, 1(1), S100.
• Savelev SU, Okello EJ, Perry EK. Butyryl- and Acetyl-cholinesterase Inhibitory Activities in Essential Oils of Salvia Species and Their Constituents. Phytotherapy Research 2004, 18(4), 315-324.
• Okello EJ, Savelev SU, Perry EK. In vitro anti-β-secretase and dual anti-cholinesterase activities of Camellia sinensis L. (tea) relevant to treatment of dementia. Phytotherapy Research 2004, 18(8), 624-627.
• Okello EJ. The benefits to memory of biological activities in tea. 2004. Available at: http://www.nutritionreview.co.uk.
• Pitcairn CER, Fowler D, Leith ID, Sheppard LJ, Sutton MA, Kennedy V, Okello E. Bioindicators of enhanced nitrogen deposition. Environmental Pollution 2003, 126(3), 353-361.
• Savelev S, Okello E, Perry NSL, Wilkins RM, Perry EK. Synergistic and antagonistic interactions of anticholinesterase terpenoids in Salvia lavandulaefolia essential oil. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 2003, 75(3), 661-668.