Senior Lecturer in Pharmacological Science

I joined the School of Life Sciences in May 2020 from the Francis Crick Institute, London. I obtained my PhD from Erasmus University Medical Centre from the lab of Peter Verrijzer in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The focus of my PhD was ubiquitination and the reversal of ubiquitination (de-ubiquitination) in the context of gene regulation. I helped discover an interesting protein complex of USP7-GMPS. This work laid the foundation for future works on the role of metabolic enzymes in gene regulation in Verrijzer’s group.

As a postdoctoral researcher in Prof Rene Bernard’s lab at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Amsterdam, I investigated the role of epigenetic factors in cancer drug resistance. I employed functional genomics approach using shRNA and siRNA to discover novel factors, which could help explain drug resistance mechanisms. I also had several opportunities to supervise and mentor Masters and PhD students.

In 2016, I joined the newly formed Francis Crick Institute in London as a postdoctoral scientist with Jesper Svejstrup, to work on DNA damage response and transcription. I performed high throughput CRISPR screening to discover new factors in UV mediated DNA damage response. I also worked on projects related to translation and ribosome quality control.

Teaching

I teach various modules related to Pharmacology and Molecular Biology such as Pharmacogenetics, Translational Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Biology. I am also the Course Co-ordinator for MSc Pharmacology, MSc Pharmacology with Data Analytics, MSc Pharmacology with Project Management and PGT research project.

I enjoy teaching and conveying to students my enthusiasm of the subject. I strive to deliver high quality teaching and learning experience and also enhance their capacity to prosper in future scientific careers. In addition, as an Honorary Fellow at University College London, I received the certificate in core teaching practices.

Qualifications

• PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
• MSc in Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
• BSc in Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India

Memberships

• Member of the Royal Society of Biology
• Member of the British Pharmacological Society

Research Interests

My research centres around understanding cancer vulnerabilities. Cancer cells acquire new characteristics and features to tame the system for its benefit. Cancer cells also become dependent on certain pathways like the epigenetic pathways for their survival. My research aims to exploit this vulnerability of cancer cells. I am interested in exploiting the dependence of cancer cells on epigenetic pathways. These pathways are important in regulating and maintaining gene expression. Interestingly, a wide array of these factors is mutated in cancers. I aim to systematically analyse the changes caused by epigenetic factor mutations and also discover new dependencies with an aim to pharmacologically target these pathways.

Selected Publications

• Heynen GJJE, Nevedomskaya E, Palit S, Jagalur Basheer N, Lieftink C, Schlicker A, Zwart W, Bernards R, and Bajpe PK. Mastermind-like 3 controls proliferation and differentiation in neuroblastoma, Molecular Cancer Research, 2016, 14(5), 411-422.
• Bajpe PK, et al. A chromatin modifier genetic screen identifies SIRT2 as a modulator of response to targeted therapies through regulation of MEK kinase activity. Oncogene, 2015, 34(4) 531-6.
• Sun C, Wang L, Huang S, Heynen GJJE, Prahallad A, Robert C, Haanen J, Blank C, Wesseling J, Willems SM, Zecchin D, Hobor S, Bajpe PK, et al. Reversible resistance to BRAF(V600E) inhibition in melanoma. Nature, 2014, 508(7494): 118-22.
• Bajpe PK, et al. The corepressor CTBP2 is a coactivator of RAR/RXR in retinoic acid signaling. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2013, 3343-53.
• Geutjes E-J, Bajpe PK, and Bernards R. Targeting the epigenome for the treatment of cancer. Oncogene. 2012, 31, 3827-3844.

Contact Details

T: +44 (0)1234 400 400
E: prashanth.bajpe@beds.ac.uk

Other References

• www.twitter.com/PrashanthBajpe
• www.linkedin.com/in/prashanth-bajpe
• www.researchgate.net/profile/Prashanth_Kumar_Bajpe