Phil Dash

Here is a copy of my CV:

PERSONAL DETAILS

Email: p.dash@sgul.ac.uk
Website: www.sgul.ac.uk/depts/immunology/~dash
Current position: British Heart Foundation intermediate fellowship

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD in Cancer Studies (1994-1997) University of Birmingham
• MSc in Toxicology (1993-1994) University of Birmingham
• BSc (Hons) in Zoology, 2:1 (1990-1993) University of Reading

CAREER HISTORY

• 2003 – Present: BHF Research Fellow
Division of Basic Medical Sciences, St.George’s, University of London

o Awarded a British Heart Foundation personal fellowship, recently extended for a fourth year, allowing independent research investigating the regulation of TNF receptor signalling in trophoblasts.
o Demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) regulates death receptor signalling through the S-nitrosylation of PKC-epsilon and through the inhibition of ceramide production and receptor clustering.
o Demonstrated that trophoblasts isolated from patients at risk of developing pre-eclampsia were more sensitive to apoptotic signalling than cells from normal pregnancies.
o Published five papers and have submitted two further papers.
o Presented at three international conferences.

• 2000 – 2003: Post-doctoral research assistant
Division of Basic Medical Sciences, St.George’s, University of London

o Investigated the regulation of trophoblast apoptosis by NO.
o Demonstrated an anti-apoptotic role for NO in trophoblasts.
o Demonstrated that NO inhibits apoptosis through the S-nitrosylation of caspase 3, the production of cGMP and the direct reaction with free radicals
o Published three papers and presented at four international conferences.

• 1998 – 1999: Post-doctoral research assistant
CRUK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham

o Developed novel non-viral vectors for use in gene therapy of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
o Worked in close collaboration with chemists in Belgium and the Czech Republic to design novel peptides and polymers capable of delivering DNA into the nuclei of target cells.
o Developed targeting strategies for successful in vivo delivery of DNA to tumours and to hepatocytes.
o Published eleven papers and presented at five international conferences.
o This work led to the award of a patent in Europe and the US and also led to the founding of a company, Hybrid Systems, to develop the work further.

PUBLICATIONS

Papers: 20 peer reviewed publications, cited a total of 663 times

1. Whitley GStJ, Dash PR, Ayling LJ, Prefumo F, Thilaganathan B & Cartwright JE “First Trimester Extravillous Trophoblasts from Pregnancies at Risk of Developing Preeclampsia are More Sensitive to Apoptotic Stimuli” Am.J.Path. (2007) In Press
2. La Marca HL, Dash PR, Harvey E, Cartwright JE & Whitley GStJ “EGF-stimulated extravillous cytotrophoblast motility requires activation of PI3-K, Akt and MAPK but not mTOR or ß-catenin” Hum.Rep. (2007) In Press
3. Wong MCY, Portmann B, Sherwood R, Niemela O, Koivisto H, Parkkila S, Trick K, L’Abbe MR, Wilson J, Dash PR, Srirajaskanthan R, Preedy VR & Wiseman H “The cytoprotective effect of alpha-tocopherol and daidzein against D-galactosamine-induced oxidative damage in the rat liver” Metabolism (2007) In Press
4. Dash PR, Whitley GS, Ayling LJ, Johnstone AP & Cartwright JE (2005) “Trophoblast apoptosis is inhibited by hepatocyte growth factor through the AKT and beta-catenin mediated up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase” Cell.Signal. 17(5): 571-80
5. Huppertz B, Hemmings D, Renaud SJ, Bulmer JN, Dash P & Chamley LW (2005) “Extravillous trophoblast apoptosis – a workshop report” Placenta 26 Suppl A:S46-48.
6. Ashton SV, Whitley GS, Dash PR, Wareing M, Crocker IP, Baker PN & Cartwright JE (2005) “Uterine spiral artery remodelling involved endothelial apoptosis induced by extravillous trophoblasts through Fas/FasL interactions” Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 25 (1): 102-108
7. Dash PR, Cartwright JE, Baker PN, Johnstone AP & Whitley GS (2003) “Nitric oxide protects human extravillous trophoblast cells from apoptosis by a cyclic GMP-dependent mechanism and independently of caaspse 3 nitrosylation” Exp.Cell.Res 287 (2): 314-324
8. Dash PR, Cartwright JE & Whitley GS (2003) “Nitric oxide inhibits polyamine-induced apoptosis in the human extravillous trophoblast cell line SGHPL-4” Hum.Reprod. 18(5): 959-68
9. J.E. Cartwright, L.C. Kenny, P.R. Dash, I.P. Crocker, J.D. Aplin, P.N. Baker and G.StJ. Whitley (2001) “Trophoblast invasion of spiral arteries: a novel in vitro model.” Placenta 23: 232-235
10. Parker, A.L.; Oupicky, D.; Dash, P.R. & Seymour, L.W. (2001) “Methodologies for monitoring nanoparticle formation by self-assembly of DNA with poly(L-lysine)” Anal.Biochem. 302: 75-80
11. Oupicky, D.; Ogris, M.; White, S.; Ward, C.M.; Howard, K.A.; Dash, P.R. & Seymour, L.W. (2001) “Importance of lateral stabilisation of polyelectrolyte gene delivery vectors for extended systemic circulation and accumulation in subcutaneous tumours” Molecular Therapy 5: 463-472
12. Dash, P.R.; Read, M.; Fisher, K.; Oupicky, D.; Nazarova, O.; Ulbrich, K. & Seymour, L.W. (2000) “Surface modification of polymer-based vectors for gene therapy using a multi-valent hydrophilic polymer reduces non-specific interactions with proteins and cells” J.Biol.Chem 275 (6): 3793-3802
13. Howard, K. A.; Dash, P. R.; Read, M. L.; Ward, C.; Tomkins, L. M.; Nazarova, O.; Ulbrich, K. & Seymour, L. W. (2000) “Influence of hydrophilicity of cationic polymers on the biophysical properties of polyelectrolyte complexes formed by self-assembly with DNA” Biochim. Biophys. Acta- Gen. Subjects 1475 (3): 245-255
14. Read, M.L.; Dash, P.R.; Clark, A.; Howard, K.A.; Oupicky, D.; Toncheva, V.; Alpar, H.O.; Schacht, E.H.; Ulbrich, K. and Seymour, L.W. (2000) “Physicochemical and biological characterisation of an antisense oligonucleotide targeted against the bcl-2 mRNA complexed with cationic-hydrophilic copolymers” Eu.J.Pharm.Sci 10 (3):169-177
15. Oupicky, D.; Howard, K.A.; Konak, C.; Dash, P.R.; Ulbrich, K, & Seymour, L.W. (2000) “Steric stabilization of poly-L-lysine/DNA complexes by the covalent attachment of semitelechelic poly N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide.” Bioconjugate Chem. 11: 492-501
16. Dash, P.R.; Read, M.; Barret, L.B. & L.W.Seymour (1999) “Factors affecting blood clearance and in vivo distribution of polyelectrolyte complexes for gene delivery” Gene Therapy 6: 643-650
17. Wolfert, M.A.; Dash, P.R.; Oupicky, D.; Smart, S.; Nazarova, O.; Ulbrich, K. & Seymour, L.W. (1999) “Comparison of the biophysical properties of polymer-based vectors for gene therapy formed using a variety of cationic polymers” Bioconjugate Chem. 10: 993-1004
18. Oupicky, D.; Konak, C.; Dash, P.R.; Seymour, L.W. and Ulbrich, K. (1999) “Effect of Albumin and polyanion on the structure of DNA complexes with polycation containing a hydrophilic nonionic block” Bioconjugate Chem. 10: 764-772
19. Toncheva, V.; Wolfert, M.A.; Dash, P.R.; Oupicky, D.; Ulbrich, K.; Seymour, L.W. & Schacht, E.H. (1998) “Novel Vectors for Gene Delivery Formed by Self-Assembly of DNA with Poly(L-lysine) Grafted with Hydrophilic Polymers” Biochim.Biophys.Acta 1380: 354-368
20. Dash, P.R.; Toncheva, V.; Schacht, E. & Seymour, L.W. (1997) “Synthetic Polymers for vectorial Delivery of DNA: Characterisation of polymer-DNA complexes by photon correlation spectroscopy, stability to nuclease degradation and disruption by polyanions in vitro” J.Controlled Release 48: 269-276

Submitted papers:

• Dash PR , McCormick J, Thomson MJCB, Johnstone AP, Cartwright JE & Whitley GStJ “Basal nitrosylation of Protein Kinase C-epsilon regulates death receptor induced apoptosis” Submitted to Exp.Cell.Res. (2007)
• Dash PR, Harris LK, Cartwright JE & Whitley GStJ “S-nitrosylation of proteins at the leading edge of migrating trophoblast cells by inducible nitric oxide synthase” Submitted to J.Cell Sci.

Book Chapters and Reviews:

• P.R.Dash & L.W.Seymour (2000) “Pharmaceutical Aspects of Gene Therapy” In: “Biomedical polymers and polymer therapeutics” Ed. Chiellini, E. Plenum Publishers, New York.
• Dash, P.R.; Wolfert, M.A. & Seymour, L.W. (1999) “Polycation-based delivery systems for receptor mediated gene delivery” In: “Advanced Gene Delivery: from concepts to pharmaceutical products” Ed. Rolland, A. Harwood Academic Publishers ISBN:90-5702-438-1

Recent Refereed Presentations at International Meetings:

• Whitley GStJ, Cartwright JE, Johnstone AP & Dash PR “Nitrosylation of protein kinase C regulates trophoblast apoptosis” 11th European Placenta Group (11th IFPA Meeting), Glasgow 2005
• Dash PR, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP & Cartwright JE “Beta-catenin regulates trophoblast apoptosis” Placenta Association of the Americas (PAA) conference (10th IFPA meeting), California 2004
• Dash PR, Thomson M, Cartwright JE & Whitley GStJ. “Basal nitric oxide regulates trophoblast resistance to TNF? induced apoptosis.” Clinical Complications in Pregnancy, Melbourne, 2002.

COLLABORATIONS

• I have been involved in collaborative projects throughout my career and have established productive collaborations with clinicians, chemists and computer scientists. I also have current collaborations with Dr Andreas Hoppe of the Digital Imaging Research Centre at Kingston University and with Professor Guy Whitley and Dr Judith Cartwright of the Division of Basic Medical Sciences at St George’s, University of London.

TEACHING

• Tutorials to BSc Biomedical Science first year students (group size 6-8 students).

• Case Based/Problem Based Learning tutor to second year Biomedical Science students (group size 10-12 students).

• Supervise lab projects of final year Biomedical Science students (typically 1-2 projects per year).

• Attended a three day Teaching Skills course run at St.George’s in April 2006 and a two-day CBL/PBL tutor training course in October 2006.

I have produced a popular website that attracts around 1000 hits a day and was featured in Science (May 2005 Vol 308, p1093). The website provides information on apoptosis and nitric oxide biology and I have found it to be a useful way to communicate scientific ideas. The skills I have developed producing this website will be useful for e-learning and online teaching. In addition to this I can provide unique content in the form of 3D illustrations and animations (see www.sgul.ac.uk/depts/immunology/~dash/apoptosis/receptors.htm).

GRANTS

• British Heart Foundation intermediate fellowship (2003-2006)
£127,027 “Regulation of extravillous trophoblast apoptosis by TNF? and nitric oxide”

• British Heart Foundation intermediate fellowship extension (2006-2007) £47,467

In addition I have also been involved in the writing of many other successful grants but was unable to be an applicant.

I have currently written two grant applications, on the regulation of PKC nitrosylation and on the role of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in regulating cell migration and invasion.

OTHER SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS

• Invited to review papers for the journals Cytokine, Reproduction and Placenta.

• Invited to present at a workshop at an international meeting (10th IFPA meeting, California, 2004).

• Member of the Biochemical Society and the European Cell Death Organisation.

REFEREES

Professor Guy Whitley

Division of Basic Medical Sciences
St. George’s, University of London
Cranmer Terrace
London. SW17 ORE

Email: g.whitley@sgul.ac.uk
TEL. 020 8725 5851

Professor Len Seymour
Department of Clinical Pharmacology
University of Oxford
Radcliffe Infirmary
Woodstock Road
Oxford. OX2 6HE
Email: len.seymour@clinpharm.ox.ac.uk
TEL. 01865 224986

Professor Alan Johnstone
Division of Basic Medical Sciences
St. George’s, University of London
Cranmer Terrace.
London. SW17 ORE

Email: a.johnstone@sgul.ac.uk

TEL. 020 8725 5780