A gene deriving from the ancestral sex chromosomes was lost from the X and retained on the Y chromosome in eutherian mammals.
Hughes JF;Skaletsky H;Nicholls PK;Drake A;Pyntikova T;Cho TJ;Bellott DW;Page DC; (2022) BMC Biology. 20
Dr. Peter Nicholls
Assistant Professor
- Area
- School of Chemistry & Biosciences, Institute of Cancer Therapeutics
- Faculty of Life Sciences
- Phone
Biography
Dr Nicholls graduated with a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Hons)
in 2007, and received his PhD from the Hudson Institute of Medical
Research and Monash University (2012, Australia) on the development and
endocrine regulation of the reproductive tract. Dr Nicholls then
undertook postdoctoral research at the Whitehead Institute, based within
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA). In this research, Dr
Nicholls described how embryonic cells of the germline - the precursors
of both eggs and sperm - become committed to produce gametes in
adulthood, and no other cell type. When this commitment fails to occur,
these embryonic cells may instead form germ cell tumours of the gonads,
one of the most common cancers of young children, and the most common
cancer in men under 45 years of age.
Dr Nicholls has been awarded several honours, including the New
Investigator Award from the Society for Reproductive Biology
(Australia), and postdoctoral research fellowships awarded by the
National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) and the Hope
Funds for Cancer Research (USA).
In 2020, Dr Nicholls joined the Faculty of Life Sciences and the
Institute of Cancer Therapeutics. In ongoing studies, Dr Nicholls uses a
number of model organisms to explore how genetic and environmental
factors influence the development of gonadal tumours from embryonic
cells, and the molecular pathways that govern the sensitivity of
tumours to chemotherapy.
Teaching
Modules
- Practical Molecular Biology - BIS7027-B
- Molecular Genetics - BIS5014-B
- Molecular Biology - BIS5020-B
Professional activities
- Hope Funds for Cancer Research Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (1 January 2015)
- NH&MRC CJ Martin Early Career Fellowship (1 January 2012)
- SRB New Investigator Award (1 January 2010)
- Australian Postgraduate Award (1 January 2008)
- Monash University - PhD
- Monash University (Australia) - Bachelor of Biomedical Science Honours
- Monash University (Australia) - Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences
- AdvanceHE - FHEA
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole MA - Frontiers In Reproduction
- University of Bradford - Lecturer in Molecular Biology (1 December 2020)
- Whitehead Institute (USA) - Postdoctoral Research Fellow (28 January 2013)
Publications
-
-
Advancing clinical and translational research in germ cell tumours (GCT): recommendations from the Malignant Germ Cell International Consortium.
Fonseca A;Lobo J;Hazard FK;Gell J;Nicholls PK;Weiss RS;Klosterkemper L;Volchenboum SL;Nicholson JC;Frazier AL;Amatruda JF;Bagrodia A;Lockley M;Murray MJ; (2022) British Journal of Cancer. 127
-
Germ cell determination and the developmental origin of germ cell tumors.
Nicholls PK;Page DC; (2021) Development - Company of Biologists. 148
-
DAZL mediates a broad translational program regulating expansion and differentiation of spermatogonial progenitors.
Mikedis MM;Fan Y;Nicholls PK;Endo T;Jackson EK;Cobb SA;de Rooij DG;Page DC; (2020) eLife. 9
-
GCNA Interacts with Spartan and Topoisomerase II to Regulate Genome Stability.
Dokshin GA;Davis GM;Sawle AD;Eldridge MD;Nicholls PK;Gourley TE;Romer KA;Molesworth LW;Tatnell HR;Ozturk AR;de Rooij DG;Hannon GJ;Page DC;Mello CC;Carmell MA; (2020) Developmental Cell. 52
-
Mammalian germ cells are determined after PGC colonization of the nascent gonad.
Nicholls PK;Schorle H;Naqvi S;Hu YC;Fan Y;Carmell MA;Dobrinski I;Watson AL;Carlson DF;Fahrenkrug SC;Page DC; (2019) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 116
-
Retinoic Acid and Germ Cell Development in the Ovary and Testis.
Endo T;Mikedis MM;Nicholls PK;Page DC;de Rooij DG; (2019) Biomolecules. 9
-
Locating and Characterizing a Transgene Integration Site by Nanopore Sequencing.
Nicholls PK;Bellott DW;Cho TJ;Pyntikova T;Page DC; (2019) G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics. 9
-
Suppression of Sertoli cell tumour development during the first wave of spermatogenesis in inhibin α-deficient mice.
Haverfield JT;Stanton PG;Loveland KL;Zahid H;Nicholls PK;Olcorn JS;Makanji Y;Itman CM;Simpson ER;Meachem SJ; (2017) Reproduction, Fertility and Development. 29
-
A mitotic SKAP isoform regulates spindle positioning at astral microtubule plus ends.
Kern DM;Nicholls PK;Page DC;Cheeseman IM; (2016) Journal of Cell Biology. 213
-
Licensing of primordial germ cells for gametogenesis depends on genital ridge signaling.
Hu YC;Nicholls PK;Soh YQ;Daniele JR;Junker JP;van Oudenaarden A;Page DC; (2015) PLoS Genetics. 11
-
The E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBE2J1 is required for spermiogenesis in mice.
Koenig PA;Nicholls PK;Schmidt FI;Hagiwara M;Maruyama T;Frydman GH;Watson N;Page DC;Ploegh HL; (2014) Journal of Biological Chemistry. 289
-
Differential permeability of the blood-testis barrier during reinitiation of spermatogenesis in adult male rats.
Haverfield JT;Meachem SJ;Nicholls PK;Rainczuk KE;Simpson ER;Stanton PG; (2014) Endocrinology. 155
-
Retinoic acid promotes Sertoli cell differentiation and antagonises activin-induced proliferation.
Nicholls PK;Harrison CA;Rainczuk KE;Wayne Vogl A;Stanton PG; (2013) Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 377
-
A novel subcellular machine contributes to basal junction remodeling in the seminiferous epithelium.
Du M;Young J;De Asis M;Cipollone J;Roskelley C;Takai Y;Nicholls PK;Stanton PG;Deng W;Finlay BB;Vogl AW; (2013) Biology of Reproduction. 88
-
Proprotein convertases in post-menopausal endometrial cancer: distinctive regulation and non-invasive diagnosis.
Singh H;Heng S;Nicholls PK;Li Y;Tai LT;Jobling T;Salamonsen LA;Nie G; (2012) Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 419
-
Androgen initiates Sertoli cell tight junction formation in the hypogonadal (hpg) mouse.
McCabe MJ;Allan CM;Foo CF;Nicholls PK;McTavish KJ;Stanton PG; (2012) Biology of Reproduction. 87
-
Activin signaling regulates Sertoli cell differentiation and function.
Nicholls PK;Stanton PG;Chen JL;Olcorn JS;Haverfield JT;Qian H;Walton KL;Gregorevic P;Harrison CA; (2012) Endocrinology. 153
-
Lentiviral transduction of rat Sertoli cells as a means to modify gene expression.
Nicholls PK;Stanton PG;Rainczuk KE;Qian H;Gregorevic P;Harrison CA; (2012) Spermatogenesis. 2
-
Hormonal regulation of sertoli cell micro-RNAs at spermiation.
Nicholls PK;Harrison CA;Walton KL;McLachlan RI;O'Donnell L;Stanton PG; (2011) Endocrinology. 152
-
Spermiation: The process of sperm release.
O'Donnell L;Nicholls PK;O'Bryan MK;McLachlan RI;Stanton PG; (2011) Spermatogenesis. 1
-
Embryo implantation is closely associated with dynamic expression of proprotein convertase 5/6 in the rabbit uterus.
Nicholls PK;Sun Z;Heng S;Li Y;Wang J;Nie G; (2011) Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E. 9
-
Interleukin 11 is upregulated in uterine lavage and endometrial cancer cells in women with endometrial carcinoma.
Yap J;Salamonsen LA;Jobling T;Nicholls PK;Dimitriadis E; (2010) Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E. 8
-
Post-translational modifications and protein-specific isoforms in endometriosis revealed by 2D DIGE.
Stephens AN;Hannan NJ;Rainczuk A;Meehan KL;Chen J;Nicholls PK;Rombauts LJ;Stanton PG;Robertson DM;Salamonsen LA; (2010) Journal of Proteome Research. 9
-
Loss of betaglycan contributes to the malignant properties of human granulosa tumor cells.
Bilandzic M;Chu S;Farnworth PG;Harrison C;Nicholls P;Wang Y;Escalona RM;Fuller PJ;Findlay JK;Stenvers KL; (2009) Molecular Endocrinology. 23
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Extra-ovarian expression and activity of growth differentiation factor 9.
Wang Y;Nicholls PK;Stanton PG;Harrison CA;Sarraj M;Gilchrist RB;Findlay JK;Farnworth PG; (2009) Journal of Endocrinology. 202
-
Growth differentiation factor 9 is a germ cell regulator of Sertoli cell function.
Nicholls PK;Harrison CA;Gilchrist RB;Farnworth PG;Stanton PG; (2009) Endocrinology. 150
-
Proteomic characterization of midproliferative and midsecretory human endometrium.
Chen JI;Hannan NJ;Mak Y;Nicholls PK;Zhang J;Rainczuk A;Stanton PG;Robertson DM;Salamonsen LA;Stephens AN; (2009) Journal of Proteome Research. 8
-
Expression of nodal signalling components in cycling human endometrium and in endometrial cancer.
Papageorgiou I;Nicholls PK;Wang F;Lackmann M;Makanji Y;Salamonsen LA;Robertson DM;Harrison CA; (2009) Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E. 7