Raymond John Pickles
Research Assistant Professor of Medicine

Degrees
    BS: 
    (1988) U. of London
    King's College, London
   PhD: 
    (1992) U. of Cambridge
    Cambridge, UK
  Pos-Doc Fellowship: 
    (1992-95) Pulmonary
    U. of North Carolina
    Chapel Hill NC

    

Office:  7129 Thurston-Bowles
Phone: 919-966-7044
Fax:     919-966-7524
email:   branston@med.unc.edu
Online CV

Research Interests:

Cell Culture
The development of in vitro models of human airway epithelium. Primary and cell-line airway epithelial cell culture techniques for human, dog, rat and mouse. Development and characterisation of novel cell-lines by retroviral transformation.

In vivo Models
Development of ex vivo human upper airway epithelium models. Extensive experience of surgery and delivery of vectors to the airways of human excised lung lobes.

Vectors
Production of adenoviral vectors. Production of retroviral vectors for protein overexpression studies. In vitro and in vivo delivery of adenoviral, retroviral and liposomal vectors.

Gene Delivery and Gene Transfer Analyses
A wide range of analyses for delivered DNA (PCR, in situ PCR, immunofluorescent confocal microscopy) and subsequent transgene expression (enzymatic analyses, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, FACS analysis, westerns, ion transport measurement, second messenger measurement).

Vector-Cell Interactions
Classical pharmacological approaches to determine how adenoviruses interact with an in vitro model of respiratory epithelium (radiolabeled virus-receptor studies, immunoprecipitation, in situ PCR). Phage display techniques. Production of targeted vectors with ligand and bispecific antibody approaches.

General
Expertise in lung and airway histological examination. Recombinant protein production and purification. In situ hybridisation. Conventional and confocal microscopy.

Recent Publications:
1999-2000 pulications/submissions

Pickles, R.J., Farhner, J. A., Petrella, J.M., Boucher, R.C. and Bergelson, J.M. Retargeting the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor to the apical surface of polarized epithelial cells reveals the glycocalyx as a barrier to adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. 2000 J. Virol. (in press, July issue).

Kreda, S.M., Pickles, R.J., Lazarowski, E.R. and Boucher, R.C. G-protein-coupled-receptors as targets for gene transfer vectors using natural small-molecule-ligands. 2000. Nature Biotechnology. (in press, June issue).

Clinical Contact         Phone: (919)966-2531 Fax: (9191)966-7013 130 Mason Farm Rd. CB# 7020 The Univ. of North Carolina Chapel Hill, MC 27599-7020

Research Contact        Phone: (919)966-1077 Fax: (919)966-7524 7011 Thurston-Bowles Bldg. CB# 7248 The Univ. of North Carolina Chapel Hill, MC 27599-7248