Dr Greg Brooke
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Email
gbrooke@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 873332
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Location
3SW.5.07, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
Ogunjinmi, Oluwadamilola D MSD student (ongoing)
Profile
Biography
Research Interests: The over-arching aim of my research is to improve treatment options and survival rates for cancer patients. My group is characterising factors that drive therapy resistance and identifying novel therapeutic targets. We are working with other universities and industrial partners to translate our findings into therapeutics. Current Group Members: Aygun Azadova Hope Britcher Dr Emine Cil Ryan Cronin Ana-Maria Dumitrana Anthonia Ekperouh Ana-Maria Isac Self-funded students, or candidates interested in applying for fellowships to undertake research in my laboratory, are welcome to contact me (gbrooke@essex.ac.uk) at any time.
Qualifications
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BSc Biology (1st Class Hons) Queen Mary London, (2000)
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PhD (Androgen Receptor Variants in Prostate Cancer Progression) Imperial College London, (2005)
Appointments
University of Essex
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Senior Lecturer in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Essex (1/7/2013 - present)
Other academic
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Research Associate, Imperial College London (3/7/2000 - 1/10/2001)
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Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Imperial College London (3/10/2005 - 30/9/2010)
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Senior Research Fellow (Martin Harris Fellowship), Imperial College London (1/10/2010 - 30/6/2013)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Identification and characterisation of factors that promote tumour growth and therapy resistance in prostate and breast cancer
The development of novel treatment options for breast and prostate cancer
Characterisation of mechanisms of therapy resistance Identification of novel therapeutic targets The development of novel therapies for the treatment of prostate cancer
Development of genetic probes based on GFP for non-invasive detection and quantification of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in subcellular compartments
Fluorescent protein biosensors are showing great promise in allowing the real time, spatial and quantitative detection of specific small molecules in living cells. We have engineered and used these biosensors in cells of the leaf to detect hydrogen peroxide, glutathione, lipid peroxides, oxidised ascorbate (vitamin C) and changes in pH. The detection spatially in real time has allowed us to develop a new hypothesis on the spatial dependency of signalling from chloroplasts to the nucleus in leaves exposed to high light - only those chloroplast in contact with the nucleus are capable of triggering a change in gene expression in response to high light. We have provided evidence, using these biosensors, that hydrogen peroxide is the mobile signal that transfers directly to the nucleus from connected chloroplasts. This work has led to further developments in biosensor technology in my laboratory, which in collaboration with colleagues in the School is beginning to extend our detection capability to animals cells and for studying other important signalling molecules.
Current research
The role of 90kDa Ribosomal S6 Kinases in Steroid signalling
Conferences and presentations
Targeting the Androgen Receptor for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer and COVID-19
Invited presentation, Norwich Cancer Research Network, Norwich Cancer Research Network, Norwich, United Kingdom, 14/7/2021
AR coregulators
Invited presentation, Prostate Cancer UK: Spotlight on....., Prostate Cancer UK: Spotlight on....., 6/7/2021
Tackling COVID: The Life Sciences Response
Invited presentation, Industry and Parliament Trust Round Table Discussion, Industry and Parliament Trust Conference, 29/6/2021
Playing Catch Up - Cancer Research Post-COVID-19
Panel discussion, BioIntegrates, 20/5/2021
2014 Androgen Receptor Signalling in Breast Cancer. Essex County Hospital, Colchester
Colchester, United Kingdom, 2014
2014 Targetting Androgen Receptor Signalling in Prostate Cancer. Eastern Arc Cancer Conference, Colchester
Colchester, United Kingdom, 2014
2014 Targetting Androgen Receptor Signalling in Advanced Prostate Cancer. Essex Biomedical Sciences Institute Conference, Colchester
Colchester, United Kingdom, 2014
2012 Inhibition of androgen signalling by AR corepressors in prostate cancer. European Association for Urology, Strasbourg, France?
Strasbourg, France, 2012
2010 FUS/TLS is a key modulator of androgen receptor signalling and prostate cancer growth. Androgens 2010, Leuven, Belgium
Leuven, Belgium, 2010
?2010 Whats all the FUS about? Young Prostate Researchers Conference, Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2010
?2010 The Role of FUS in Prostate Cancer Progression National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), Liverpool?
Liverpool, United Kingdom, 2010
2010 The Design of Novel Therapeutic Strategies to Inhibit Prostate Cancer Progression. Prostate Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) Forum, York?
York, United Kingdom, 2010
2010 The Role of FUS in Prostate Cancer Progression. National Prostate Conference, London
London, United Kingdom, 2010
?2010 FUS/TLS is a key modulator of androgen receptor signalling and prostate cancer growth. Northern Institute of Cancer Research, University of Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 2010
?2008 Androgen Signalling in Advanced Prostate Cancer. University of Portsmouth
Portsmouth, United Kingdom, 2008
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Cell Biology (BS225)
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Cell Biology and Cellular Pathology (BS238)
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Molecular Basis of Cancer (BS349)
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Research Project in Life Sciences (BS832)
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Advanced Cancer Biology (BS932)
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Research Project in Biomedical Science (BS831)
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Employability Skills for the Biosciences (BS211)
Current supervision
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Biochemistry
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 21/8/2023
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 6/7/2023
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 15/5/2023
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 24/4/2023
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 13/7/2022
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 20/4/2022
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 17/2/2022
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 2/2/2021
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 28/1/2021
Degree subject: Biochemistry
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 31/3/2020
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 21/8/2019
Degree subject: Biochemistry
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 28/6/2019
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 17/4/2019
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 5/11/2018
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 3/7/2018
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 20/2/2017
Publications
Publications (3)
Exposito-Rodriguez, M., Reeder, B., Brooke, GN., Hough, MA., Laissue, PP. and Mullineaux, PM., (2024). A novel glutathione peroxidase-based biosensor disentangles differential subcellular accumulation of H2O2 and lipid hydroperoxides
Cronin, R., Azadova, A., Marco, A., Laissue, PP., Brooke, GN. and Prischi, F., (2024). The p90 Ribosomal S6 Kinases 2 and 4 promote Prostate Cancer cell proliferation in androgen-dependent and independent ways
Ogunjinmi, OD., Abdullahi, T., Somji, R-A., Bevan, CL., Barclay, WS., Temperton, N., Brooke, GN. and Giotis, ES., (2023). The antiviral potential of the antiandrogen enzalutamide and the viral-androgen interplay in seasonal coronaviruses
Journal articles (33)
Jayakumar, S., Patel, M., Boulet, F., Aziz, H., Brooke, GN., Tummala, H. and Pradeepa, MM., (2024). PSIP1/LEDGF reduces R-loops at transcription sites to maintain genome integrity. Nature Communications. 15 (1), 361-
Jacob, DR., Guiblet, WM., Mamayusupova, H., Shtumpf, M., Ciuta, I., Ruje, L., Gretton, S., Bikova, M., Correa, C., Dellow, E., Agrawal, SP., Shafiei, N., Drobysevskaja, A., Armstrong, CM., Lam, JDG., Vainshtein, Y., Clarkson, CT., Thorn, GJ., Sohn, K., Pradeepa, MM., Chandrasekharan, S., Brooke, GN., Klenova, E., Zhurkin, VB. and Teif, VB., (2024). Nucleosome reorganisation in breast cancer tissues.. Clinical Epigenetics. 16 (1), 50-
Giotis, E., (2024). The antiviral potential of the antiandrogen enzalutamide and the viral-androgen signaling interplay in seasonal coronaviruses. Journal of Medical Virology. 96 (3), e29540-
Gundersen, RA., Chu, T., Abolfathi, K., Gokcen Dogan, S., Blair, PE., Nago, N., Hamblin, M., Brooke, GN., Zwacka, RM., Kafash Hoshiar, A. and Mohr, A., (2023). Generation of magnetic biohybrid microrobots based on MSC.sTRAIL for targeted stem cell delivery and treatment of cancer. Cancer Nanotechnology. 14 (1), 54-
Pine, AC., Brooke, GN. and Marco, A., (2023). A computational approach to identify efficient RNA cleaving 10-23 DNAzymes.. NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics. 5 (1), lqac098-
Giotis, E., Brooke, G. and Cil, E., (2022). Use of antiandrogens as therapeutic agents in COVID-19 patients. Viruses. 14 (12), 2728-2728
Cronin, R., Brooke, GN. and Prischi, F., (2021). The role of the p90 ribosomal S6 kinase family in prostate cancer progression and therapy resistance.. Oncogene. 40 (22), 3775-3785
Leach, DA., Mohr, A., Giotis, ES., Cil, E., Isac, AM., Yates, LL., Barclay, WS., Zwacka, RM., Bevan, CL. and Brooke, GN., (2021). The antiandrogen enzalutamide downregulates TMPRSS2 and reduces cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 in human lung cells. Nature Communications. 12 (1), 4068-
Leach, DA., Mohr, A., Zwacka, R., Giottis, S., Yates, L., Lloyd, C., Brooke, GN. and Bevan, CL., (2021). Antiandrogens Target TMPRSS2 and Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Virus Entry in Lung Cells. Journal of the Endocrine Society. 5 (S1), A60-A61
Leach, DA., Brooke, GN. and Bevan, CL., (2021). Roles of steroid receptors in the lung and COVID-19. Essays in Biochemistry. 65 (6), 1025-1038
Mohr, A., Chu, T., Clarkson, C., Brooke, G., Teif, V. and Zwacka, R., (2021). Fas-threshold Signalling in MSCs Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression and Metastasis. Cancer Letters. 519, 63-77
Alghamdi, RA., Exposito-Rodriguez, M., Mullineaux, PM., Brooke, GN. and Laissue, PP., (2021). Assessing Phototoxicity in a Mammalian Cell Line: How Low Levels of Blue Light Affect Motility in PC3 Cells.. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 9, 738786-
Brooke, GN. and Prischi, F., (2020). Structural and functional modelling of SARS-CoV-2 entry in animal models. Scientific Reports. 10 (1), 15917-
Mohr, A., Chu, T., Brooke, GN. and Zwacka, RM., (2019). MSC.sTRAIL Has Better Efficacy than MSC.FL-TRAIL and in Combination with AKTi Blocks Pro-Metastatic Cytokine Production in Prostate Cancer Cells. Cancers. 11 (4), 568-568
Pine, AC., Fioretti, FF., Brooke, GN. and Bevan, CL., (2016). Advances in genetics: widening our understanding of prostate cancer. F1000Research. 5, 1512-1512
Brooke, GN., Gamble, SC., Hough, MA., Begum, S., Dart, DA., Odontiadis, M., Powell, SM., Fioretti, FM., Bryan, RA., Waxman, J., Wait, R. and Bevan, CL., (2015). Antiandrogens Act as Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators at the Proteome Level in Prostate Cancer Cells*. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics. 14 (5), 1201-1216
Querol Cano, L., Lavery, DN., Sin, S., Spanjaard, E., Brooke, GN., Tilman, JD., Abroaf, A., Gaughan, L., Robson, CN., Heer, R., Mauri, F., de Rooij, J., Driouch, K. and Bevan, CL., (2015). The co‐chaperone p23 promotes prostate cancer motility and metastasis. Molecular Oncology. 9 (1), 295-308
Fioretti, FM., Sita-Lumsden, A., Bevan, CL. and Brooke, GN., (2014). Revising the role of the androgen receptor in breast cancer. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. 52 (3), R257-R265
Brooke, GN., Powell, SM., Lavery, DN., Waxman, J., Buluwela, L., Ali, S. and Bevan, CL., (2014). Engineered repressors are potent inhibitors of androgen receptor activity. Oncotarget. 5 (4), 959-969
Rudraraju, B., Droog, M., Abdel-Fatah, TMA., Zwart, W., Giannoudis, A., Malki, MI., Moore, D., Patel, H., Shaw, J., Ellis, IO., Chan, S., Brooke, GN., Nevedomskaya, E., Nigro, CL., Carroll, J., Coombes, RC., Bevan, C., Ali, S. and Palmieri, C., (2014). Phosphorylation of activating transcription factor-2 (ATF-2) within the activation domain is a key determinant of sensitivity to tamoxifen in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 147 (2), 295-309
Ottaviani, S., Brooke, GN., O'Hanlon-Brown, C., Waxman, J., Ali, S. and Buluwela, L., (2013). Characterisation of the androgen regulation of glycine N-methyltransferase in prostate cancer cells. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. 51 (3), 301-312
Sita-Lumsden, A., Fletcher, CE., Dart, DA., Brooke, GN., Waxman, J. and Bevan, CL., (2013). Circulating nucleic acids as biomarkers of prostate cancer. Biomarkers in Medicine. 7 (6), 867-877
Dart, DA., Brooke, GN., Sita-Lumsden, A., Waxman, J. and Bevan, CL., (2012). Reducing prohibitin increases histone acetylation, and promotes androgen independence in prostate tumours by increasing androgen receptor activation by adrenal androgens. Oncogene. 31 (43), 4588-4598
Reebye, V., Querol Cano, L., Lavery, DN., Brooke, GN., Powell, SM., Chotai, D., Walker, MM., Whitaker, HC., Wait, R., Hurst, HC. and Bevan, CL., (2012). Role of the HSP90-Associated Cochaperone p23 in Enhancing Activity of the Androgen Receptor and Significance for Prostate Cancer. Molecular Endocrinology. 26 (10), 1694-1706
Grosdidier, S., Carbó, LR., Buzón, V., Brooke, G., Nguyen, P., Baxter, JD., Bevan, C., Webb, P., Estébanez-Perpiñá, E. and Fernández-Recio, J., (2012). Allosteric Conversation in the Androgen Receptor Ligand-Binding Domain Surfaces. Molecular Endocrinology. 26 (7), 1078-1090
Brooke, GN., Culley, RL., Dart, DA., Mann, DJ., Gaughan, L., McCracken, SR., Robson, CN., Spencer-Dene, B., Gamble, SC., Powell, SM., Wait, R., Waxman, J., Walker, MM. and Bevan, CL., (2011). FUS/TLS Is a Novel Mediator of Androgen-Dependent Cell-Cycle Progression and Prostate Cancer Growth. Cancer Research. 71 (3), 914-924
Brooke, G. and Bevan, C., (2009). The Role of Androgen Receptor Mutations in Prostate Cancer Progression. Current Genomics. 10 (1), 18-25
Brooke, GN., Parker, MG. and Bevan, CL., (2008). Mechanisms of androgen receptor activation in advanced prostate cancer: differential co-activator recruitment and gene expression. Oncogene. 27 (21), 2941-2950
Gamble, SC., Chotai, D., Odontiadis, M., Dart, DA., Brooke, GN., Powell, SM., Reebye, V., Varela-Carver, A., Kawano, Y., Waxman, J. and Bevan, CL., (2007). Prohibitin, a protein downregulated by androgens, represses androgen receptor activity. Oncogene. 26 (12), 1757-1768
Powell, SM., Brooke, GN., Whitaker, HC., Reebye, V., Gamble, SC., Chotai, D., Dart, DA., Belandia, B. and Bevan, CL., (2006). Mechanisms of androgen receptor repression in prostate cancer. Biochemical Society Transactions. 34 (6), 1124-1127
Vigushin, DM., Mirsaidi, N., Brooke, G., Sun, C., Pace, P., Inman, L., Moody, CJ. and Coombes, RC., (2004). Gliotoxin Is a Dual Inhibitor of Farnesyltransferase and Geranylgeranyltransferase I with Antitumor Activity Against Breast Cancer In Vivo. Medical Oncology. 21 (1), 21-30
Vigushin, DM., Brooke, G., Willows, D., Coombes, RC. and Moody, CJ., (2003). Pyrazino[1,2- a ]indole-1,4-diones, simple analogues of gliotoxin, as selective inhibitors of geranylgeranyltransferase I. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 13 (21), 3661-3663
Marson, CM., Rioja, AS., Brooke, G., Coombes, RC. and Vigushin, DM., (2002). Cyclic acid anhydrides as a new class of potent, selective and non-peptidic inhibitors of geranylgeranyl transferase. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 12 (2), 255-259
Book chapters (1)
Brooke, G., Waxman, J. and Bevan, C., (2013). The Role of Androgen Receptor Mutations in Progression of Prostate Cancer. In: Changing Views on Living Organisms. Editors: Neri, C., . Bentham Science Publishers. 45- 65. 1608051293. 9781608051298
Reports and Papers (2)
Mohr, A., Tianyuan, C., Clarkson, CT., Brooke, GN., Teif, VB. and Zwacka, RM., (2021). Fas-threshold signalling in MSCs causes tumour progression and metastasis
Brooke, G. and Prischi, F., (2020). Structural and functional modelling of SARS-CoV-2 entry in animal models
Grants and funding
2024
Next-generation liquid biopsies for early detection of pancreatic cancer based on cell-free DNA nucleosomics
Pancreatic Cancer UK
2023
Nucleosomics for liquid biopsies
Cancer Research UK
TRICSS - a multi-user high-throughput platform to quantify biological interactions in solution
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
TRICSS - a multi-user high-throughput platform to quantify biological interactions in solution
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2022
New method of early cancer diagnostics and stratification based on nucleosome positioning reconstructed from cell-free DNA
Cancer Research UK
Rapid and Agile Project Fund - The development of therapeutics for COVID-19 variants
University of Essex
Identifying Black Men at Increased Risk of Developing Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer Research (PCR)
Advanced live imaging for the Eastern ARC with dual inverted light-sheets and AI-led analysis
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2021
Contract research for covid samples with OncoLytika
OncoLytika
2017
Bioimaging of dehydroascorbate and (phospho)lipid hydroperoxides: The development of fluorescent protein biosensors
Biotechnology & Biology Science Res.Council
The development of DNAzymes for the treatment of prostate cancer, and a program to design and predict DNAzyme efficiency
Rosetrees Trust
2016
MSC - Mediated delivery of TRAIL for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer UK
2015
Engineered androgen receptor repressors for prostate cancer therapy
Janssen Biotech Inc
Characterisation of non-genomic androgen signalling in prostate cancer
Wellcome Trust
2014
Identification and validation of new biomarkers and drug targets for prostate cancer: The continuing investigation
Colchester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Contact
Academic support hours:
Ogunjinmi, Oluwadamilola D MSD student (ongoing)
