![Emily Bates PhD](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/7548?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Emily Bates
(she/her)
PhD
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Emily Bates
The Brain Tumour Charity Future Leaders Post-doctoral Fellow
Overview
I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Cardiff University’s VITAL (Viral Immunotherapies and Advanced Therapeutics) Lab, led by Professor Alan Parker. My research focuses on developing adenoviral therapies for glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of adult brain cancer, where treatment options remain limited and patient outcomes have changed little over recent decades.
My interest in adenoviral therapies developed during my PhD, which I completed in 2022. My doctoral research focused on engineering low-seroprevalence adenoviruses for cancer applications, exploring how less common adenovirus types could be used to overcome pre-existing immunity and improve the effectiveness of oncolytic virotherapies. This work provided a strong foundation in adenoviral vector design and sparked my commitment to developing viral therapies for cancers with a high unmet clinical need.
Since then, I have focused on advancing adenoviral therapies for glioblastoma. Supported initially by Cancer Research Wales and, more recently, through a Future Leaders post-doctiral fellowship from The Brain Tumour Charity, I am investigating new approaches to enhance the therapeutic potential of adenoviruses and improve outcomes for patients with brain cancer.
Alongside my research, I am passionate about translating scientific discoveries into patient benefit. As an Entrepreneurial Lead on the ICURe programme, I explored the commercial potential of novel therapies and engaged with patients, clinicians and industry partners to better understand the challenges of bringing innovations from the laboratory to the clinic. My goal is to develop therapies that are not only scientifically innovative, but that also have a clear pathway to improving the lives of people affected by brain cancer.
Publication
2026
- Varela Pereira, M. et al. 2026. 27 Development of precision virotherapies for Diffuse Midline Gliomas [Abstract]. Neuro-Oncology 28 (S1) noag172.048. (10.1093/neuonc/noag172.048)
- Mundy, R. M. et al. 2026. Identification of a novel fiber shaft structural motif and overexpression of key transcripts elucidated in human adenovirus D 10. PLoS Pathogens 22 (4) e1014182. (10.1371/journal.ppat.1014182)
2023
- Mundy, R. M. et al. 2023. Broad sialic acid usage amongst species D human adenovirus. npj Viruses 1 1. (10.1038/s44298-023-00001-5)
- Bates, E. A. et al. 2023. Engineering adenoviral vectors with improved GBM selectivity. Viruses 15 (5) 1086. (10.3390/v15051086)
2022
- Bates, E. A. et al. 2022. Development of a low seroprevalence, αvβ6 integrin selective virotherapy based on human adenovirus type 10. Molecular Therapy - Oncolytics 25 , pp.43-56. (10.1016/j.omto.2022.03.007)
- Bates, E. 2022. Developing Species D adenovirus vectors for cancer applications. PhD Thesis , Cardiff University.
2021
- Baker, A. T. et al., 2021. ChAdOx1 interacts with CAR and PF4 with implications for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Science Advances 7 (49) eabl8213. (10.1126/sciadv.abl8213)
- Bates, E. A. et al. 2021. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of human adenovirus type 49 as a vector for therapeutic applications. Viruses 13 (8) 1483. (10.3390/v13081483)
- Baker, A. T. et al. 2021. The fiber knob protein of human adenovirus type 49 mediates highly efficient and promiscuous infection of cancer cell lines using a novel cell entry mechanism. Journal of Virology 95 (4) e01849-20. (10.1128/JVI.01849-20)
2020
- Hulin-Curtis, S. et al. 2020. Identification of folate receptor α (FRα) binding oligopeptides and their evaluation for targeted virotherapy applications. Cancer Gene Therapy 27 , pp.785-798. (10.1038/s41417-019-0156-0)
- Cunliffe, T. G. , Bates, E. A. and Parker, A. L. 2020. Hitting the target but missing the point: recent progress towards adenovirus-based precision virotherapies. Cancers 12 (11) 3327. (10.3390/cancers12113327)
Articles
- Varela Pereira, M. et al. 2026. 27 Development of precision virotherapies for Diffuse Midline Gliomas [Abstract]. Neuro-Oncology 28 (S1) noag172.048. (10.1093/neuonc/noag172.048)
- Mundy, R. M. et al. 2026. Identification of a novel fiber shaft structural motif and overexpression of key transcripts elucidated in human adenovirus D 10. PLoS Pathogens 22 (4) e1014182. (10.1371/journal.ppat.1014182)
- Mundy, R. M. et al. 2023. Broad sialic acid usage amongst species D human adenovirus. npj Viruses 1 1. (10.1038/s44298-023-00001-5)
- Bates, E. A. et al. 2023. Engineering adenoviral vectors with improved GBM selectivity. Viruses 15 (5) 1086. (10.3390/v15051086)
- Bates, E. A. et al. 2022. Development of a low seroprevalence, αvβ6 integrin selective virotherapy based on human adenovirus type 10. Molecular Therapy - Oncolytics 25 , pp.43-56. (10.1016/j.omto.2022.03.007)
- Baker, A. T. et al., 2021. ChAdOx1 interacts with CAR and PF4 with implications for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Science Advances 7 (49) eabl8213. (10.1126/sciadv.abl8213)
- Bates, E. A. et al. 2021. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of human adenovirus type 49 as a vector for therapeutic applications. Viruses 13 (8) 1483. (10.3390/v13081483)
- Baker, A. T. et al. 2021. The fiber knob protein of human adenovirus type 49 mediates highly efficient and promiscuous infection of cancer cell lines using a novel cell entry mechanism. Journal of Virology 95 (4) e01849-20. (10.1128/JVI.01849-20)
- Hulin-Curtis, S. et al. 2020. Identification of folate receptor α (FRα) binding oligopeptides and their evaluation for targeted virotherapy applications. Cancer Gene Therapy 27 , pp.785-798. (10.1038/s41417-019-0156-0)
- Cunliffe, T. G. , Bates, E. A. and Parker, A. L. 2020. Hitting the target but missing the point: recent progress towards adenovirus-based precision virotherapies. Cancers 12 (11) 3327. (10.3390/cancers12113327)
Thesis
- Bates, E. 2022. Developing Species D adenovirus vectors for cancer applications. PhD Thesis , Cardiff University.
Biography
I am a Brain Tumour Charity Future Leaders Fellow at Cardiff University and a member of the VITAL (Viral Immunotherapies and Advanced Therapeutics) Lab.
My research career has taken me through industry, translational research, and academia. After studying Biological Sciences at the University of Liverpool, including an industrial placement at MedImmune in Cambridge, I joined Cardiff University to undertake a PhD exploring the development of adenoviral therapies for cancer, which I completed in 2022.
Since then, I have continued my research career at Cardiff University, progressing through a number of postdoctoral research positions and contributing to the growth of brain tumour research within the VITAL Lab. These roles have enabled me to develop collaborations across academia, healthcare and industry, while helping to strengthen Cardiff's research activity in this area.
In 2024, I was awarded a Future Leaders Fellowship from The Brain Tumour Charity. Alongside my research, I am committed to supporting the wider research community through student supervision, mentorship and public engagement. I currently supervise PhD and Professional Training Year (PTY) students and regularly present my work at national and international conferences.
To date, I have published nine peer-reviewed papers, including four as first author, and I am named on two patent applications. My work has been recognised through awards including the PGR Excellence in Innovation Award and the ELRIG Early Career Professional Impact Award. I am particularly passionate about building collaborations and creating opportunities that help accelerate progress in brain tumour research.
Career Overview
- 2013–2017 – MBioSci Biological Sciences (First Class Honours), University of Liverpool
- 2016–2017 – Industrial Placement, MedImmune
- 2018–2022 – PhD, Cardiff University
- 2021–2024 – Research Assistant and Research Associate, Cardiff University
- 2024 – Entrepreneurial Lead, Innovate UK ICURe Explore Programme
- 2024–2027 – Brain Tumour Charity Future Leaders Fellow, Cardiff University
Honours and awards
- Cancer Research Wales Brain Tumour Conference – Best Oral Presentation Award (2025)
- International Adenovirus Meeting – Best Oral Presentation Runner-Up (2025)
- ELRIG Research & Innovation Early Career Professional Impact Award (2024)
- School of Medicine PGR Excellence Award for Innovation, Cardiff University (2023)
- Peter Tomasec Award for Best PhD Student Poster, Infection and Immunity Annual Meeting (2022)
Professional memberships
- 2026 - present: Member of Nritish Society of Neuro-oncology
- 2022 - present: Member of European Society of Cell and Gene therapy
Contact Details
Cancer Genetics Building, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN
Research themes
Specialisms
- Cancer therapy
- Virology