Paula J. Bates, PhD
Research Program
Molecular Targets
Education Research and Professional Experience 1991 1997 - present 1999 2001 2004
B.A. (Honors), Queens College, Univesrity of Oxford, UK, Chemistry, 1992
Ph.D., Institue of Cancer Research, University of London, Biophysics, 1996
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA, 1996 - 1999
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
1999 - 2005
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, University of Louisville
2000 - 2005
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Join Apppointment), University of Louisville
1999 - present
Scientist, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville
2001 - 2005
Co-founder and Vice President for Research, Aptamera, Inc. Louisville, KY (acquired by Antisoma, p.l.c. in February 2005)
2005 - present
Consultant, Antisoma p.l.c., London
2005 - present
Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Louisville
Selected Awards and Professional Honors
Bursar's Award for Academic Studies, The Queen's College, University of Oxford
Member, American Association for Cancer Research
Finalist, Joseph Reeves Award for Excellence in Research by a Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Member, Institute for Molecular Diversity and Drug Design (IMD3)
2000
Winner, Research of Most Scientific Importance, Faculty Research Day, Research! Louisville, University of Louisville
Study Section Member, Cancer Molecular Target Drug Discovery Special Emphasis Panel, National Cancer Institute
Named as one of “21 Women to Watch”, Louisville magazine
2004
Mint Jubilee Outstanding Scientist of the Year Award, Louisville, KY
Study Section Member, Molecular Genetics and Biology #5, Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program
2004
Winner, Faculty Research Day, Research with Greatest Potential for Major Clinical Applications, Research!Louisville, University of Louisville
2004 - present
Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Molecular Medicine
2005, 2006
Grant Reviewer, Concept Awards, Department of Defense Breast Cancer Program
Research Interest
My laboratory is researching a novel class of guanosine-rich oligonucleotides that can inhibit proliferation and induce cell death in many types of cancer cells, whereas they have less effect on normal cells. One of these oligonucleotides (AGRO100, now known as AS1411) is currently being tested in human clinical trials. The G-rich oligonucleotides are capable of forming unusual structures known as G-quadruplexes and function as aptamers by binding to specific cellular proteins. I have identified the major target protein for these oligonucleotides as nucleolin, a multi-functional protein whose levels correlate with the rate of cell proliferation. Current studies concern mechanistic aspects of the observed anticancer effects, the relationship between oligonucleotide structure and activity, and the development of these oligonucleotides as therapeutic agents. I also am examining the role of nucleolin in cancer cell biology and its potential as a novel target for cancer drug discovery, with the ultimate aim of developing new anticancer agents targeted to nucleolin.
Publications
Bates PJ, Dosanjh HS, Kumar S, Jenkins TC, Laughton CA, Neidle S. Detection and kinetic studies of triplex formation by oligodeoxynucleotides using real-time biomolecular interaction analysis (BIA). Nucleic Acids Res 23:3627-32, 1995
Bates PJ, Macaulay VM, McLean MJ, Jenkins TC, Reszka AP, Laughton CA, Neidle S. Characteristics of triplex-directed photoadduct formation by psoralen-linked oligodeoxynucleotides. Nucleic Acids Res 23:4283-9,1995
Macaulay VM, Bates PJ, McLean MJ, Rowlands MG, Jenkins TC, Ashworth A, Neidle S. Inhibition of aromatase expression by a psoralen-linked triplex-forming oligonucleotide targeted to a coding sequence. FEBS Lett 372:222-8, 1995
Bates PJ, Laughton CA, Jenkins TC, Capaldi DC, Roselt PD, Reese CB, Neidle S. Efficient triple helix formation by oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing alpha- or beta-2-amino-5-(2-deoxy-D-ribofuranosyl) pyridine residues. Nucleic Acids Res 24:4176-84,1996
Blume SW, Lebowitz J, Zacharias W, Guarcello V, Mayfield CA, Ebbinghaus SW, Bates P, Jones DE, Trent JO, Vigneswaren N, Miller DM. The integral divalent cation within the intermolecular purine*purine. pyrimidine structure. Nucleic Acids Res 27:695-702, 1999
Cogan DZM, Howarth IS, Bates PJ, Robinson A, Rodger A. “DNA binding of ruthenium tris(1,10-
phenanthroline). Inorganic Chemistry 38:4486-97, 1999
Bates PJ, Kahlon JB, Thomas SD, Trent JO, Miller DM. Antiproliferative activity of G-rich oligonucleotides correlates with protein binding. J Biol Chem 274:26369-77, 1999
Xu X, Thomas SD, Burke TJ, Girvan AC, McGregor WM, Trent JO, Miller DM, Bates PJ. Inhibition of DNA replication and induction of S phase cell cycle arrest by G-rich oligonucleotides. J Biol Chem 276:43221-30, 2001
Rodger A, Norden B, Rodger PM, Bates PJ. DNA as a catalyst and catalytic template for the racemisation of metal tris-phenanthroline complexes. Eur J Inorg Chem 1:49-53, 2002
Dapic V, Bates PJ, Rodger A, Trent JO, Miller DM. Antiproliferative activity of G-rich oligonucleotides with modified backbones. Biochemistry 41:3676-85, 2002
Bates PJ, Reddoch JF, Hansakul P, Arrow A, Dale R, Miller DM. Biosensor detection of triplex formation by modified oligonucleotides. Anal Biochem 307:235-43, 2002
Inge TH, Casson LK, Priebe W, Trent JO, Georgeson KE, Miller DM, Bates PJ. Importance of Sp1 consensus motifs in the MYCN promoter. Surgery 132:232-8, 2002
Mi Y, Thomas SD, Xu X, Casson LK, Miller DM, Bates PJ. Apoptosis in leukemia cells is accompanied by alterations in the levels and localization of nucleolin. J Biol Chem 278:8572-9, 2003
Dapic V, Abdomerovic V, Marrington R, Peberdy J, Rodger A, Trent JO, Bates PJ. Biophysical and biological properties of quadruplex oligodeoxyribonucleotides Nucleic Acids Res 31:2097-107, 2003
McMicken HW, Bates PJ, Chen Y. Antiproliferative activity of G-quartet-containing oligonucleotides generated by a novel single-stranded DNA expression system. Cancer Gene Therapy 10:867-9. 2003
Kutsch O, Levy DN, Bates PJ, Decker J, Kosloff BR, Shaw GM, Priebe W, Benveniste EN. Bis-Anthracycline antibiotics inhibit HIV-1 transcription. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 48:1652-63, 2004
Girvan AC, Teng Y, Casson LK, Thomas SD, Jüliger S, Ball MW, Klein JB, Pierce WM, Barve SS, Bates PJ. AGRO