麻豆传媒

Roles and Responsibilities

Director, North East Universities Medicinal Plant Research Group

Member Board of Examiners, BSc Food and Human Nutrition/ Food Marketing and Nutrition 

Member Board of Studies, BSc Food and Human Nutrition/ Food Marketing and Nutrition 

Member, Curriculum Committee, BSc Food and Human Nutrition/ Food Marketing and Nutrition 

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 

Franco-British Natural Products Research Network

Alzheimer Research UK Network

麻豆传媒 BAME Advisory 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 麻豆传媒, 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:

Member, Franco-British Natural Products Research Network

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 麻豆传媒: Past, Present and Future. Medical School, 麻豆传媒, 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 

PhD thesis adjudicator, Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamilnadu, India (2010)

PhD thesis External Examiner, University of Fort Hare, South Africa (2011).

PhD thesis External Examiner, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli 620002, TN, India. (2013)

External assessor of the research activities of a candidate applying for promotion to Associate Professor – University of Malta (2014).

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

Journal of Alternative and  Complementary Medicine

African Journal of Biotechnology 

Editorships

Associate editor, European Journal of Medicnal Plants

Guest Editor, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Other invitations

External Examiner, MSc in Medicinal Natural Products and Phytochemistry, UCL (from 2019)
PhD External Examiner, School of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Durham University; Teesside University (UK), Sunderland University (UK).
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.

National Research Foundation, South Africa - Blue Skies funding call Assessor (2010)

Peer Reviewer, Medical Research Council (UK) - Grant Reference: MR/L001330/1 (2013)

External Reviewer for a postdoctoral research project for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD – P.R.I.M.E program (2014)

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

Undergraduate Teaching

NUT1001 Academic and Professional Skills

NU 2004 Academic and professional Skills 2 (Module Leader) 

ACE 1018 Introduction to Nutrition, Food Science and the Food Industry

Postgraduate Teaching

Degree Programme Director, MSc Medicinal Plants and Functional Foods (2008-2017)

• 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
• ACE8106 Effective Communication Skills for Postgraduate Research (Module Leader)

• Okello EJ, Mather J. . Nutrients 2020, 12(4), 1090.
• Babateen AM, Rubele S, Shannon O, Okello E, Smith E, McMahon N, O'Brien G, Wightman E, Kennedy D, Mathers JC, Siervo M. . Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications 2020, 18, 100571.
• Babateen AM, Rubele S, Shannon O, Okello E, Smith E, Mcmahon N, O'Brien G, Wighman E, Kennedy D, Mathers JC, Siervo M. Protocol and recruitment results from a 13-week randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of different doses of nitrate-rich beetroot juice on cognition, cerebral blood flow and peripheral vascular function in overweight and obese older people. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications 2020.
• Watson AW, Okello EJ, Brooker H, Lester S, McDougall GJ, Wesnes KA. . Nutritional Neuroscience 2019, 22(8), 596-606.
• Neto HL, Okello E. . Journal of Agricultural Science 2018, 10(6), 28-32.
• Okello EJ, Howes MJR. . In: Murphy PN, ed. Routledge International Handbook of Psychobiology. London and New York: Routledge, 2018, pp.195-208.
• Zakaria NNA, Okello EJ, Idowu OC. . International Journal of Phytocosmetics and Natural Ingredients 2018, 5, 7.
• Zakaria NNA, Okello EJ, Howes M-J, Birch-Machin MA, Bowman A. . Phytotherapy Research 2018, 32(6), 955-1144.
• Kennedy D, Okello E, Chazot P, Howes M-J, Ohiomokhare J, Haskell-Ramsay C, Khan J, Forster J, Wightman E. . Nutrients 2018, 10(8), 1029.
• Ohiomokhare SO, Ladagu A, Olapade J, Okello E, Chazot PL. . In: BNA 2017 Festival of Neuroscience. 2017, Birmingham International Conference Centre: British Neuroscience Association.
• Haskell-Ramsay CF, Stuart RC, Okello EJ, Watson AW. . European Journal of Nutrition 2017, 56(8), 2621–2631.
• Wesnes KA, Brooker H, Watson AW, Bal W, Okello E. . Journal of Psychopharmacology 2017, 31(2), 211-221.
• Haskell-Ramsay CF, Stuart RC, Okello EJ, Watson AW. . European Journal of Nutrition 2017, 56(8), 2633–2633.
• Okello EJ, Abadi AM, Abadi SA. . Nutritional Neuroscience 2016, 19(5), 196-205.
• Okello EJ. . Journal of Herbal Medicine 2016, 6(3), 160-161.
• Chattuwatthana T, Okello E. . European Journal of Medicinal Plants 2015, 5(4), 318-327.
• Lam YS, Okello EJ. . International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms 2015, 17(2), 117-128.
• Okello EJ, Coleman A, Seal CJ. . International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 2015, 6(9), 3726-3732.
• Sparagano O, George D, Finn R, Dinesh R, Rashed A, Graham K, Okello E, Maurer V. . In: 13th International Congress of the European Association for Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology (EAVPT 2015). 2015, Nantes, France: Wiley-Blackwell.
• Dinesh R, George D, Okello E, Daoud-Bouattour A, Ghrabi-Gammar Z, Sparagano O. . In: 8th International TTP and 12th Biennial STVM Conference. 2014, Cape Town, South Africa.
• Jansen RLM, Brogan B, Whitworth AJ, Okello EJ. . Phytotherapy Research 2014, 28(12), 1789-1795.
• Lima-Neto HR, Okello E, Rowlinson P. . LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2013.
• Asim M, Liu OH, Okello E, Birch-Machin M, Foltz M, Lietz G. . In: Nutrition Society Annual Summer Meeting. 2013, 麻豆传媒, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Kumar S, Harris RJ, Seal CJ, Okello EJ. . Phytotherapy Research 2012, 26(1), 113-117.
• Ayissi Mbomo R, Gartside SE, Ngo Bum E, Njikam N, Okello E, McQuade R. . Journal of Psychopharmacology 2012, 26(4), 575-583.
• Kumar S, Okello EJ, Harris JR. . 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. . Food & Function 2012, 3, 651-661.
• Okello EJ, McDougall GJ, Kumar S, Seal CJ. . Phytomedicine 2011, 18(8-9), 691-696.
• Kumar S, Seal CJ, Okello EJ. . 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. . Journal of Psychopharmacology 2011, 25(8), 1088-1100.
• Kumar S, Seal CJ, Howes MJ, Kite GC, Okello EJ. . Phytotherapy Research 2010, 24(10), 1567-1574.
• Kennedy DO, Wightman EL, Reay JL, Lietz G, Okello EJ, Wilde A, Haskell CF. . American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010, 91(6), 1590-1597.
• George DR, Sparagano OAE, Port G, Okello E, Shiel RS, Guy JH. . Medical and Veterinary Entomology 2010, 24(1), 1-8.
• Kennedy DO, Wightman E, Okello EJ. . 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. . Animal Welfare 2010, 19(3), 265-273.
• George DR, Sparagano OAE, Port G, Okello E, Shiel RS, Guy JH. . Medical and Veterinary Entomology 2010, 24(1), 9-15.
• Crowch CM, Okello EJ. . African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 2009, 3(10), 469-475.
• Perry E, Okello E, Howes MJR, Chazot P. Phytopharmaceuticals for dementia therapy. PLANTA MEDICA 2009, 75(9), 880-881.
• George DR, Sparagano OAE, Port G, Okello E, Shiel RS, Guy JH. . 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. . Neuroscience Letters 2008, 442(3), 297-299.
• Okello EJ, Dimaki C, Howes MJR, Houghton PJ, Perry EK. . 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. . 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. . Neuropsychopharmacology 2006, 31(4), 845-852.
• Kennedy DO, Pace S, Milne A, Okello E, Scholey AB. . In: Journal of Psychopharmacology: Summer Meeting of the British Association for Psychopharmacology. 2005, Harrogate, UK: Sage Publications Ltd.
• Hasegawa T, Okello E, Yamada T. . Alzheimer's and Dementia 2005, 1(1), S100.
• Savelev SU, Okello EJ, Perry EK. . Phytotherapy Research 2004, 18(4), 315-324.
• Okello EJ, Savelev SU, Perry EK. . Phytotherapy Research 2004, 18(8), 624-627.
• Okello EJ. . 2004. Available at: .
• Pitcairn CER, Fowler D, Leith ID, Sheppard LJ, Sutton MA, Kennedy V, Okello E. . Environmental Pollution 2003, 126(3), 353-361.
• Savelev S, Okello E, Perry NSL, Wilkins RM, Perry EK. . Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 2003, 75(3), 661-668.
• Okello-Ekochu EJ, Wilkins RM. Influence of some maize cultivars/lines (Zea mays L.) on biological characters of the African armyworm, Spodoptera exempta (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). International Journal of Pest Management 1996, 42(2), 81-87.