Dr Richard Bowater

Job Title	Contact	Location
Senior Lecturer	R dot Bowater at uea dot ac dot uk Tel: 2186/3719	Biology 2.41

Personal
Research
Teaching
Publications
External
Admin

Career

Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, UEA (2007-present)
Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, UEA (2002-present)
University Research Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, UEA (1998-2002)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, South Mimms, UK (1996-1998)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Texas A & M University, USA (1994-1996)
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Dundee, UK (1988-1994)
Ph.D. - University of London, UK (1989); research undertaken at National Institute for Medical Research, London
B.Sc. - Biochemistry, University of Sheffield, UK (1984)

ResearcherID

http://www.researcherid.com/rid/A-4227-2010

Key Research Interests

Having trained as a biochemist, my research interests have broadened out to encompass methodologies that involve biophysical chemistry, microbiology and molecular biology. More recently, I have even dabbled with bioinformatics and structural biology! The research focus of my group is macromolecular interactions of bacterial DNA repair proteins and we have focused attention on DNA ligases. Our experiments are performed in vitro or in bacterial model organisms.

Current Research Projects

Physiological functions of DNA ligases
RNA ligases of bacteria and viruses
DNA repair pathways of model organisms
Relationship between DNA metabolism and genetic instability of DNA repeats
The interplay between DNA damage, DNA repair and ageing

Life in our research group

Life in our research group We use a range of contemporary biochemical and molecular biological techniques that allow us to study the relationship between DNA metabolism and processes that take place within cells. Our experiments take advantage of well-characterised model organisms, providing great opportunities to link our understanding of biochemical mechanisms to physiological consequences. Much of our recent work has focused on microorganisms, but we are increasingly developing projects that use proteins, cells or tissues from higher organisms, including humans. The majority of our experiments are conducted in a recently refurbished and updated laboratory that is shared with other research groups at UEA that have a biochemical and structural biological focus. These research groups hold a weekly floor meeting that provides great opportunities for cross-fertilisation of research projects. We also regularly host visitors from our international collaborators, with recent visitors being from the laboratories of Dr Jaroslaw Dziadek (Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodz, Poland) and Dr Miroslaw Fojta and Prof Emil Palecek (Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic).

PhD Positions

Please email me to discuss PhD opportunities and projects within the School of Biological Sciences.

Postdocs & Fellows

I am always happy to discuss possibilities for postdoctoral work and collaborations, particularly with applications involving international partners. Possible funding routes include applying for fellowships, with me acting as sponsor, or grant applications with you as a named postdoc.

Teaching Activities

Seminars in Biochemistry (BIO-1A3Y)

Fundamentals of Cell Biology and Biochemistry (BIO-1A14)

Introductory Chemistry for Life Sciences (BIO-1A61)

Biochemistry (BIO-2B01)

Molecular Biology (BIO-2B02)

Biology in Society (BIO-2B1Y)

Evolution in Health and Disease (BIO-3C57)

Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics (BIO-M109/BIO-M113)

Modern Experimental Techniques in Molecular Medicine (BIO-M203)

Postgraduate Practical Class (BIO-M61Y)

Postgraduate Training Programme (BIO-M82Y)

Supervisor for Research Projects of final year Undergraduate students from BIO and NatSci, and of Taught MSc students

Jump to: Article

Number of items: 32.

Article

Bowater, R, Wood, I and Luisi, B (2012) From Beads on a String to the Pearls of Regulation: the Structure and Dynamics of Chromatin. Biochemical Society Transactions, 40 (2). pp. 331-334. ISSN 0300-5127

Howell, LA, Bowater, RA, O’Connell, MA, Reszka, AP, Neidle, S and Searcey, M (2012) Synthesis of Small Molecules Targeting Multiple DNA Structures using Click Chemistry. ChemMedChem, 5. pp. 792-804. ISSN 18607179

Cornea, Christine, Bowater, Laura and Bowater, Richard (2012) Visualizing Science Fiction and relating it to Science Fact. The Biochemist, 34 (6). pp. 4-8. ISSN 0954-982X

Cornea, Christine, Bowater, Laura, James, Helen and Bowater, Richard (2012) Using science fiction to teach science facts. The Biochemist, 34 (6). pp. 15-20. ISSN 0954-982X

Wang, L, Eldred, JA, Sidaway, P, Sanderson, J, Smith, AJO, Bowater, RP, Reddan, JR and Wormstone, IM (2012) Sigma 1 Receptor Stimulation Protect against Oxidative Damage through Suppression of the ER Stress Responses in the Human Lens. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. (In Press)

Bowater, Laura and Bowater, Richard (2011) Survival of the Fittest. Microbiology Today, 38 (2). pp. 126-127.

Reddy, K, Tam, M, Bowater, RP, Barber, M, Tomlinson, M, Nichol Edamura, K, Wang, Y-H and Pearson, CE (2011) Determinants of R-loop formation at convergent bidirectionally transcribed trinucleotide repeats. Nucleic Acids Research, 39 (5). pp. 1749-1762. ISSN 0305-1048

Howell, LA, Waller Bradbrook, ZAE, Bowater, RP, O'Connell, M and Searcey, M (2011) A small molecule that induces assembly of a four way DNA junction at low temperature. Chemical Communications, 47 (29). pp. 8262-8264. ISSN 1359-7345

Pergolizzi, G, Butt, JN, Bowater, RP and Wagner, GK (2011) A novel fluorescent probe for NAD-consuming enzymes. Chemical Communications, 47 (47). pp. 12655-12657. ISSN 1359-7345

Gorna, AE, Bowater, RP and Dziadek, J (2010) DNA repair systems and the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: varying activities at different stages of infection. Clinical Science, 119 (5). pp. 187-202. ISSN 0143-5221

Stark, WM, Luisi, BF and Bowater, RP (2010) Machines on Genes: Enzymes that Make, Break and Move DNA and RNA. Biochemical Society Transactions, 38 (2). pp. 381-383. ISSN 0300-5127

Bowater, R, Borts, R and White, MF (2009) DNA damage: From causes to cures. Biochemical Society Transactions, 37. pp. 479-481.

Bowater, RP, Davies, RJH, Palecek, E and Fojta, M (2009) Sensitive electrochemical assays of DNA structure. Chemistry Today, 27 (2). pp. 50-54.

Vacek, J, Cahova, K, Palecek, E, Bullard, DR, Lavesa-Curto, M, Bowater, RP and Fojta, M (2008) Label-free electrochemical monitoring of DNA ligase activity. Analytical Chemistry, 80 (19). pp. 7609-7613.

Korycka-Machala, M, Rychta, E, Brzostek, A, Sayer, HR, Rumijowska-Galewicz, A, Bowater, RP and Dziadek, J (2007) Evaluation of NAD(+)-dependent DNA ligase of mycobacteria as a potential target for antibiotics. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 51 (8). pp. 2888-2897.

Jackson, BR, Noble, C, Lavesa-Curto, M, Bond, PL and Bowater, RP (2007) Characterization of an ATP-dependent DNA ligase from the acidophilic archaeon "Ferroplasma acidarmanus" Fer1. Extremophiles, 11 (2). pp. 315-327. ISSN 1433-4909

Majchrzak, M, Bowater, RP, Staczek, P and Parniewski, P (2006) SOS repair and DNA supercoiling influence the genetic stability of DNA triplet repeats in Escherichia coli. Journal of Molecular Biology, 364 (4). pp. 612-624.

Scott, BOS, Lavesa-Curto, M, Bullard, DR, Butt, JN and Bowater, RP (2006) Immobilized DNA hairpins for assay of sequential breaking and joining of DNA backbones. Analytical Biochemistry, 358 (1). pp. 90-98.

Bullard, DR and Bowater, RP (2006) Direct comparison of nick-joining activity of the nucleic acid ligases from bacteriophage T4. Biochemical Journal, 398 (1). pp. 135-144. ISSN 0264-6021

Korycka-Machala, M, Brzostek, A, Rozalska, S, Rumijowska-Galewicz, A, Dziedzic, R, Bowater, R and Dziadek, J (2006) Distinct DNA repair pathways involving RecA and nonhomologous end joining in Mycobacterium smegmatis. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 258 (1). pp. 83-91.

Bowater, R and Doherty, A (2006) Making ends meet: repairing breaks in bacterial DNA by non-homologous end-joining. PLoS Genetics, 2 (2). pp. 93-99.

Walter, K, Warnecke, G, Bowater, R, Deppert, W and Kim, E (2005) Tumor suppressor p53 binds with high affinity to CTG-CAG trinucleotide repeats and induces topological alterations in mismatched duplexes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280 (52). pp. 42497-42507.

Wilkinson, A, Smith, A, Bullard, D, Lavesa-Curto, M, Sayer, H, Bonner, A, Hemmings, A and Bowater, R (2005) Analysis of ligation and DNA binding by Escherichia coli DNA ligase (LigA). Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Proteins and Proteomics, 1749 (1). pp. 113-122. ISSN 1570-9639

Bowater, RP (2005) Nucleotides: Structure and Properties. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences.

Bowater, RP (2005) Supercoiled DNA: Structure.

Lavesa-Curto, M, Sayer, H, Bullard, D, MacDonald, A, Wilkinson, A, Smith, Andrew, Bowater, L, Hemmings, A and Bowater, RP (2004) Characterization of a temperature-sensitive DNA ligase from Escherichia coli. Microbiology - SGM, 150. pp. 4171-4180.

Sakowicz, T, Bowater, R and Parniewski, P (2004) Isolation, cloning and characterisation of motifs containing (GA/TC)n rpeeats from vetch, Vicia bithynica. Cellular and Molecular Biology Letters, 9. pp. 557-566.

Wilkinson, A, Sayer, H, Bullard, D, Smith, A, Day, J, Kieser, T and Bowater, R (2003) NAD+-dependent DNA ligases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Streptomyces coelicolor. Proteins-Structure Function and Genetics, 51 (3). pp. 321-326. ISSN 1097-0134

Bowater, R (2003) DNA structure. Encyclopedia of Human Genetics.

Weller, G, Kysela, B, Roy, R, Tonkin, L, Scanlan, E, Della, M, Krogh Devine, S, Day, JP, Wilkinson, A, d'Adda di Fagagna, F, Devine, KM, Bowater, RP, Jeggo, PA, Jackson, SP and Doherty, AJ (2002) Identification of a DNA non-homologous end-joining complex in bacteria. Science, 297 (5587). pp. 1686-1689.

Wilkinson, A, Day, J and Bowater, R (2001) Bacterial DNA ligases. Molecular Microbiology, 40 (6). pp. 1241-1248.

Bowater, RP and Wells, RD (2001) Intrinsically unstable life of DNA Triplet repeats associated with human hereditary disorders. Progress in Nucleic Acid Research (Molecular Biology), 66. pp. 159-202.

This list was generated on Sat Apr 6 10:24:03 2013 BST.

External Activities and Indicators of Esteem

Editorial Advisory Panel of the Biochemical Journal (since 2010)

Editorial Board of The Scientific World Journal (since 2011)

External Examiner at the Open University, Milton Keynes, UK, for course S377, Molecular and Cellular Biology (since 2009)

External Examiner at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK, for Biological Sciences degrees (since 2011-12)

Member of the following professional bodies: Biochemical Society, Society for General Microbiology and Royal Society of Chemistry

Committee member of the Royal Society of Chemistry Nucleic Acids Research Group (since 2005)

Committee member of Genes Theme Panel of the Biochemical Society (since 2006)

Since 2007: Co-organiser for Annual 1-day Forum meeting of the Royal Society of Chemistry Nucleic Acids Group, at: University of Reading, UK (July 2007); University of Southampton, UK (July 2008); University of Bristol, UK (July 2009); University of Liverpool, UK (July 2010)

Co-Organiser of the Biochemical Society Annual Symposium for 2008, held at University of Cambridge, UK, 15-17 December 2008, “DNA damage: from causes to cures”; Organised by Richard Bowater (University of East Anglia, UK), Rhona Borts (University of Leicester, UK) and Malcolm White (University of St. Andrews, UK)

Co-Organiser of the Biochemical Society Focused Meeting, held at University of Cambridge, UK, 12-14 August 2009, “Machines on genes: enzymes that make, break, and move DNA and RNA”; Organised by Marshall Stark (University of Glasgow, UK), Ben Luisi (University of Cambridge, UK) and Richard Bowater (University of East Anglia, UK)

Co-Organiser of the Royal Society of Chemistry Regional Workshop, held at University of East Anglia, UK, 23 September 2010, “Molecular interactions at the interface between chemistry and biology”; Organised by Richard Bowater (University of East Anglia, UK) and 5 others

Co-Organiser of the Biochemical Society Workshop, held at Charles Darwin House, London, UK, 2 November 2010, “MicroRNAs and their targets: promises and pitfalls”; Organised by Richard Bowater (University of East Anglia, UK), Anna Git (University of Cambridge, UK) and Mike Gait (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK)

Co-Organiser of the Society of General Microbiology Symposium, held at Harrogate International Centre, UK, 11 April 2011, “Mechanisms of DNA Repair”; Organised by Richard Bowater (University of East Anglia, UK) and Simon Whitehall (University of Newcastle, UK).

Co-Organiser of the Biochemical Society Focused Meeting, held at Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK, 3-4 August 2011, “From beads on a string to the pearls of regulation: the structure and dynamics of chromatin”; Organised by Ben Luisi (University of Cambridge, UK), Ian Wood and Richard Bowater (University of East Anglia, UK)

Administrative Posts/Responsibilities

Module Organiser for BIO-2B01 (Biochemistry) and BIO-M82Y (Postgraduate Training Programme)

Academic

Biological Sciences