Rate My Professor Bradley Simpson

Dr Bradley Simpson serves as Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health, at Adelaide University, where he is an integral member of the Population Health Chemistry group. His research interests include wastewater-based epidemiology focusing on the analysis of licit, illicit, and biomolecular substances to monitor population health, psychoactive drugs, biomarkers, and metabolites. He develops new analytical methods for detecting substances of natural and synthetic origin, conducts routine monitoring of wastewater samples, and links data with external datasets. Additionally, Simpson's work spans nearly two decades on the ethnopharmacological use of plants and bioassay-guided identification of bioactive natural products from native Australian food and medicinal plants. This community-led research integrates Aboriginal traditional knowledge with western scientific methodologies to address human health issues and preserve traditional knowledge. He has explored the ecological significance of dioecious plants in arid zone habitats and the impact of Mediterranean diet and physical activity on reducing systemic inflammation for healthy aging.

Simpson earned his PhD from the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at the University of South Australia (2008–2011). He is a co-inventor of patents on novel anti-inflammatory compounds from Dodonaea polyandra, influencing reforms to Queensland's Biodiscovery Act. Notable publications include 'Methcathinone in wastewater: drug of choice, or artefact?' (Science of the Total Environment, 2022, with Jaunay et al.); 'The role of a Mediterranean diet and physical activity in decreasing age-related inflammation through modulation of the gut microbiota composition' (British Journal of Nutrition, 2022, with Clark and Murphy); 'Polyandric acid A, a clerodane diterpenoid from the Australian medicinal plant Dodonaea polyandra, attenuates pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion' (Journal of Natural Products, 2014); and 'In vivo activity of benzoyl ester clerodane diterpenoid derivatives from Dodonaea polyandra' (Journal of Natural Products, 2011). He has secured competitive grants such as ARC Linkage Projects (2024–2026) and funding from Shanxi Zhendong Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd, OZ Minerals Prominent Hill Pty Ltd, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD students, Simpson currently co-supervises several higher degree researchers and teaches chemistry courses at the university.