David De-Pomerai

Contact

• workRoom B61 Biology Building
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 9513250
• fax0115 9513251
• David.De-pomerai@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

BSc (1st class Hons, Genetics), Edinburgh, June 1972, PhD (Biochemistry), University College London, October 1975, October 1975 to December 1977, MRC Postdoctoral Training Fellowship at University of Edinburgh, January to June 1978, CRC-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at University of Edinburgh, July 1978 to July 1997, Lecturer in Department of Zoology (later Life Science) at University of Nottingham, August 1997 to date, Senior Lecturer in the School of Biology at University of Nottingham.

Expertise Summary

Exploiting GFP transgenic strains for rapid-throughput analysis of gene expression patterns. Also qPCR, RNA interference, gene arrays and generating transgenics.

Research Summary

Previous studies on the biological responses of Caenorhabditis elegans to weak microwave fields have now been abandoned, since recent results have proved uniformly negative (see Dawe et al, 2006,… read more

Selected Publications

• ANBALAGAN C, LAFAYETTE I, ANTONIOU-KOUROUNIOTI M, HAQUE M, KING J, JOHNSEN B, BAILLIE D, GUTIERREZ C, RODRIGUEZ MARTIN JA and DE POMERAI D, 2011. Transgenic Nematodes As Biosensors For Metal Stress In Soil Pore Water Samples. Ecotoxicology (London, England). (In Press.)
• DAWE, A. S, NYLUND, R., LESZCZYNSKI, D., KUSTER, N., READER, T. and DE POMERAI, D.I, 2008. Continuous wave and simulated GSM exposure at 1.8 W/kg and 1.8 GHz do not induce hsp16-1 heat-shock gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. Bioelectromagnetics. 29(2), 92-9
• DAWE,, BODHICHARLA,, GRAHAM,, MAY,, READER,, LOADER,, GREGORY,, SWICORD,, BIT-BABIK, and DE POMERAI,, 2009. Low-intensity microwave irradiation does not substantially alter gene expression in late larval and adult Caenorhabditis elegans. Bioelectromagnetics. 30(8), 602 - 612
• DE POMERAI, D, MADHAMSHETTIWAR, P, ANBALAGAN, C, LOOSE, M, HAQUE, M, KING, J, CHOWDHURI, D.K, SINHA, P, JOHNSEN, B and BAILLIE, D., 2008. The stress-response network in animals: proposals to develop a predictive mathematical model. Open Toxicology Journal. 2, 71-76

• View all publications

Current Research

Previous studies on the biological responses of Caenorhabditis elegans to weak microwave fields have now been abandoned, since recent results have proved uniformly negative (see Dawe et al, 2006, 2008, 2009 in Bioelectromagnetics).

Transgenic nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans) are also being used as biomonitors of environmental stress. We are currently using a panel of 24 GFP reporter strains to monitor the expression of multiple different stress-related genes (7 heat-shock, 7 oxidative stress, 5 xenobiotic stress, 3 metal response and 2 global transcriptional activators) and so explore the molecular responses of C. elegans to metals and pesticides, both singly and in combination. Collaborators in the School of Mathematical Sciences have modelled the underlying gene networks, and model predictions in relation to mixture toxicity have been valiated by laboratory experiments, suggesting that this modelling approach can generate valid predictions concerning the toxic effects of chemical mixtures.

A distinct but related research area involves the development of a model for Parkinson's disease using double transgenic C. elegans strains that simultaneously encode CFP- and YFP-tagged alpha-synuclein constructs, so as to use FRET between the two as a measure of synuclein aggregation. Early results suggest that simple FRET measurements can provide an accurate estimate of the extent of synuclein aggregation, and these results are reinforced by confocal microscopy. This suggests obvious applications for exploring the roles of both environmental chemicals (metals, pesticides etc) and protein-trafficking genes (using RNA interference) as risk factors in Parkinson's disease.

Past Research

Although we have discontinued our microwave-related research, I remain closely interested in this field and am currently an Associate Editor of Bioelectromagnetics.

Future Research

Various funding options are being explored to develop the use of our worm model in testing interactions among and between genetic and environmental risk factors in Parkinson's disease. We are also hoping to develop more complete mathematical models of the stress-response network as a tool for predicting mixture toxicity.

• CHARUMATHI ANBALAGAN, IVAN LAFAYETTE, MELISSA ANTONIOU-KOUROUNIOTI, MAINUL HAQUE, JOHN KING, BOB JOHNSEN, DAVID BAILLIE, CARMEN GUTIERREZ, JOSE A. RODRIGUEZ MARTIN and DAVID DE POMERAI, 2012. Transgenic nematodes as biosensors for metal stress in soil pore water sample. Ecotoxicology. 21(2), 439–455
• D. DE POMERAI1, C. ANBALAGAN1, I. LAFAYETTE1, D. RAJAGOPALAN1, M. LOOSE1, M. HAQUE2 & J. KING2, 2010. High-throughput analysis of multiple stress pathways using GFP reporters in C. elegans.. In: Environmental Toxicology III Wessex Institute for Technology Press. (In Press.)
• DAWE,, BODHICHARLA,, GRAHAM,, MAY,, READER,, LOADER,, GREGORY,, SWICORD,, BIT-BABIK, and DE POMERAI,, 2009. Low-intensity microwave irradiation does not substantially alter gene expression in late larval and adult Caenorhabditis elegans. Bioelectromagnetics. 30(8), 602 - 612
• DE POMERAI, D I, 2008. Biological mechanisms in homosexuality: a critical review. In: GROVES P, ed., The Anglican Communion and Homosexuality: a resource to enable listening and dialogue. SPCK. (In Press.)
• DAWE, A. S, NYLUND, R., LESZCZYNSKI, D., KUSTER, N., READER, T. and DE POMERAI, D.I, 2008. Continuous wave and simulated GSM exposure at 1.8 W/kg and 1.8 GHz do not induce hsp16-1 heat-shock gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. Bioelectromagnetics. 29(2), 92-9
• DE POMERAI, D, MADHAMSHETTIWAR, P, ANBALAGAN, C, LOOSE, M, HAQUE, M, KING, J, CHOWDHURI, D.K, SINHA, P, JOHNSEN, B and BAILLIE, D., 2008. The stress-response network in animals: proposals to develop a predictive mathematical model. Open Toxicology Journal. 2, 71-76
• GUL GUVEN, R., GUVEN, K., DAWE, A., WORTHINGTON, J., HARVELL, C., POPPLE, A., SMITH, T., SMITH, B. and DE POMERAI, D.I., 2006. Effects of radio-frequency fields on bacterial cell membranes and nematode temperature-sensitive mutants Enzyme and Microbial Technology. 39(4), 788-795
• DAWE, A.S., SMITH, B., THOMAS, D.W.P., GREEDY, S., VASIC, N., GREGORY, A., LOADER, B. and DE POMERAI, D.I., 2006. A small temperature rise may contribute towards the apparent induction by microwaves of heat-shock gene expression in the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> Bioelectromagnetics. 27(2), 88-97
• GUVEN, K., YOLCU, M., GUL-GUVEN, R., ERDOGAN, S. and POMERAI, D. D., 2005. The effects of organic pesticides on inner membrane permeability in Escherichia coli ML35 Cell Biology and Toxicology. VOL 21(NUMBER 2), 73-81
• THOMPSON, G. and DE POMERAI, D. I., 2005. Toxicity of short-chain alcohols to the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>: a comparison of endpoints Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology. 19(2), 87-95
• CRANFIELD, C.G., DAWE, A., KARLOUKOVSKI, V., DUNIN-BORKOWSKI, R.E., DE POMERAI, D. and DOBSON, J., 2004. Biogenic magnetite in the nematode <I>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 271(Supplement 6), S436-S439
• MEE, C.J., TOMLINSON, S.R., PERESTENKO, P.V., DE POMERAI, D., DUCE, I.R., USHERWOOD, P.N.R. and BELL, D.R., 2004. Latrophilin is required for toxicity of black widow spider venom in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> Biochemical Journal. 378(1), 185-191
• DAVID, H.E., DAWE, A.S., DE POMERAI, D.I., JONES, D., CANDIDO, E.P.M. and DANIELLS, C., 2003. Construction and evaluation of a transgenic <i>hsp</i>16-GFP-<i>lacZ Caenorhabditis elegans</i> strain for environmental monitoring Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 22(1), 111-118
• DE POMERAI, D.I., SMITH, B., DAWE, A., NORTH, K., SMITH, T., ARCHER, D.B., DUCE, I.R., JONES, D. and CANDIDO, E.P.M., 2003. Microwave radiation can alter protein conformation without bulk heating FEBS Letters. 543(1-3), 93-97
• DE POMERAI, D. I., DAVID, H. E., POWER, R. S., MUTWAKIL, M. H. A. Z. and DANIELLS, C., 2002. Transgenic nematodes as biosensors of environmental stress FOCUS ON BIOTECHNOLOGY. VOL 3A, 221-236
• DEPOMERAI,D.I., 2002. Human use of non-human animals - a biologist's view. In: BRYANT,J., BAGGOTT LA VELLE,L. and SEARLE,J., eds., Bioethics for scientists Chichester: Wiley. 85-99
• DE POMERAI, D.I., DAWE, A., DJERBIB, L., ALLAN, J., BRUNT, G. and DANIELLS, C., 2002. Growth and maturation of the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> following exposure to weak microwave fields Enzyme and Microbial Technology. 30(1), 73-79
• SMITH, M.P., LAWS, T.R., ATKINS, T.P., OYSTON, P.C.F., DE POMERAI, D.I. and TITBALL, R.W., 2002. A liquid-based method for the assessment of bacterial pathogenicity using the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> FEMS Microbiology Letters. 210(2), 181-185
• EASTON, A., GUVEN, K. and DE POMERAI, D. I., 2001. Toxicity of the Dithiocarbamate Fungicide Mancozeb to the Nontarget Soil Nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology. VOL 15(PART 1), 15-25
• MEE, C. J., DE POMERAI, D. I., USHERWOOD, P. N. R. and BELL, D. R., 2001. The Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System for Studying Mechanisms of Toxicity Toxicology. VOL 168(NO 1), 56
• WAKELIN,D., DEPOMERAI,D.I. and BEHNKE,J.M., 2001. Parasites of the earthworm: <em>Monocystis</em> (Protozoa) and <em>Rhabditis</em> (Nematoda). In: HALTON,D.W., BEHNKE,J.M. and MARSHALL,I., eds., Practical exercises in parasitology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 11-18
• WAKELIN,D., DEPOMERAI,D.I. and BEHNKE,J.M., 2001. Encapsulation of foreign matter (not-self) by earthworms. In: HALTON,D.W., BEHNKE,J.M. and MARSHALL,I., eds., Practical Exercises in Parasitology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 243-248
• DE POMERAI, D., DANIELLS, C., DAVID, H., ALLAN, J., DUCE, I., MUTWAKIL, M., THOMAS, D., SEWELL, P., TATTERSALL, J. and JONES, D., 2000. Non-thermal heat-shock response to microwaves Nature. ISSU 6785, 417
• DE POMERAI, D., DANIELLS, C., DAVID, H., ALLAN, J., DUCE, I., MUTWAKIL, M., THOMAS, D., SEWELL, P., TATTERSALL, J. and JONES, D., 2000. Microwave Radiation Induces a Heat-Shock Response and Enhances Growth in the Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. VOL 48(NUMB 11), 2076-2081
• GUVEN, K., POWER, R. S., AVRAMIDES, S., ALLENDER, R. and DE POMERAL, D. I., 1999. The Toxicity of Dithiocarbamate Fungicides to Soil Nematodes, Assessed Using a Stress-Inducible Transgenic Strain of Caenorhabditis elegans Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology. VOL 13(NUMBER 6), 324-333
• JEWITT, N., ANTHONY, P., LOWE, K.C. and DE POMERAI, D.I., 1999. Oxygenated perfluorocarbon promotes nematode growth and stress-sensitivity in a two-phase liquid culture system - between-year variation in prevalence and intensity of infection Enzyme and Microbial Technology. VOL 25(NUMBER 3-5), 349-356
• NOWELL, M A, DE POMERAI, D I and PRITCHARD, D I, 1999. Caenorhabditis elegans as a biomonitor for immunological stress in nematodes. Parasite Immunology. 21(10), 495-505
• POWER, R. S. and DE POMERAI, D. I., 1999. Effect of Single and Paired Metal Inputs in Soil on a Stress-Inducible Transgenic Nematode Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. VOL 37(NUMBER 4), 503-511
• BENDEZU, I. F., EVANS, K., BURROWS, P. R., DE POMERAI, D. and CANTO-SAENZ, M., 1998. Inter and intra-specific genomic variability of the potato cyst nematodes Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis from Europe and South America using RAPD-PCR NEMATOLOGICA. VOL 44(NUMBER 1), 49-62
• DANIELLS, C., DUCE, I., THOMAS, D., SEWELL, P., TATTERSALL, J. and DE POMERAI, D., 1998. Transgenic nematodes as biomonitors of microwave-induced stress Mutation Research. VOL 399(ISSUE 1), 55-64
• POWER, R. S., DAVID, H. E., MUTWAKIL, M. H. A. Z., FLETCHER, K., DANIELLS, C., NOWELL, M. A., DENNIS, J. L., MARTINELLI, A., WISEMAN, R. and WHARF, E., 1998. Stress-inducible transgenic nematodes as biomonitors of soil and water pollution JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCES -BANGALORE-. VOL 23(NUMBER 4), 513-526
• DE POMERAI, DAVID, 1998. Dolly mixtures: retrospect and prospects for animal and human cloning. Human Reproduction and Genetic Ethics. 4(2), 39-48
• DEPOMERAI,D.I., 1997. Are there limits to animal transgenesis? European Journal of Genetics in Society: an ethical approach to genetics. 3(1), 4-12
• MUTWAKIL, M. H. A. Z., READER, J. P., HOLDICH, D. M., SMITHURST, P. R., CANDIDO, E. P. M., JONES, D., STRINGHAM, E. G. and DE POMERAI, D. I., 1997. Use of Stress-Inducible Transgenic Nematodes as Biomarkers of Heavy Metal Pollution in Water Samples from an English River System Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. VOL 32(NUMBER 2), 146-153
• DENNIS, J. L., MUTWAKIL, M. H. A. Z., LOWE, K. C. and DE POMERAI, D. I., 1997. Effects of metal ions in combination with a non-ionic surfactant on stress responses in a transgenic nematode Aquatic Toxicology. VOL 40(NUMBER 1), 37-50
• MUTWAKIL, M. H. A. Z., STEELE, T. J. G., LOWE, K. C. and DE POMERAI, D. I., 1997. Surfactant stimulation of growth in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans Enzyme and Microbial Technology. VOL 20(NUMBER 6), 462-470
• NOWELL, M., WARDLAW, A., DE POMERAI, D. and PRITCHARD, D., 1997. The measurement of immunological stress in nematodes Journal of Helminthology. VOL 71(NUMBER 2), 119-124