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University of Washington Department of Urology Seal University of Washington | School of Medicine
Department of Urology
University of Washington | School of Medicine
Department of Urology

Donald E. Riley, PhD

Research Associate Professor
Department of Urology
Research Biochemist
Puget Sound Health Care System
Department of Veteran's Affairs

Education & Training

Dr. Riley received his BS in chemistry from Washington State University and his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Washington. He also attended Central Washington State University and Northwestern University in Chicago. He did a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University, Department of Biochemistry.

Dr. Riley was an assistant member, research scientist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington and was appointed research associate in the Departments of Genetics and Medical Genetics at the University of Washington. In 1990, he took a faculty position in the Department of Urology, University of Washington with a joint appointment in Pathobiology. In 1999, Dr. Riley became a research biochemist at the Puget Sound Health Care system maintaining his faculty position in the Department of Urology.

Research Interests

  • DNA Technology used in organism biology, identification and diagnosis: This includes polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - DNA tests for identification of single copy human genes and human short tandem repeat (STR) loci. The laboratory developed DNA-based research-diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis, Tritrichomonas foetus, Giardia lamblia, Trypanosoma sp., etc. These studies use molecular techniques in collaborative research with professor-surgeons and other clinical scientists.
  • Studies of individual variation in non-coding DNA sequences: certain DNA sequences vary among individuals. Studies are focused on finding individual differences most reflective of predisposition to disease. Individual variation can influence vulnerability to inherited disease as well as infectious diseases. The laboratory is developing rapid screening tests to detect relevant variations among individuals.
  • DNA structures and genome sciences: this includes bioinformatic studies and comparisons of DNA sequences from complete genomes. Interests include studies of human genetic variation, short tandem repeat sequences, DNA degradative mechanisms and use of DNA technology to research prostate diseases such as prostatitis and prostate cancer. The laboratory designs polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -based tests including RNR-PCR for prostatitis and prostate cancer research, inverse PCR, and real-time PCR tests.

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Research Projects & Funding

Cooperative effects of prostate cancer predisposing loci

PI: Donald E. Riley
Agency: VA
Type: Merit Review, 10-1-2005 to 9-30-2008

The major goals of this project are as follows:

  1. test the hypothesis that prostate cancer predisposition has multiple components by comparing our VA prostate cancer population with age, sex, and race-matching populations using newly recognized functional STRs in the mRNAs of nine genes suspected in CaP.
  2. identify additional prostate disease-related gene STRs under selection pressure for use in these studies.
  3. use genome databases to investigate usage patterns and function of repeated sequences associated with prostate disease related genes.

Bacterial DNA in Prostate Disease

PI: Donald E. Riley
Agency: VA
Type: Merit Review, 10-1-2000 to 9-29-2004

The major goals of this project are as follows:

  1. use the DNA technology, including amplification of sequencing and database searches, in the identification of infectious agents in the prostate issues of men with a disease known as chronic prostatitis, a condition recently renamed as chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (PD/CPPS).
  2. use DNA technology to quantify the amounts of DNA attributable to infectious agents in men with PD/CPPS.

Urologic Studies of Lower Tract Syndromes

PI: John Kreiger, MD
Co-PI: Donald E. Riley
Agency: NIH
Type: RO1, 8-1-2001 to 7-31-2006

The major goals of this project are as follows:

  1. identify bacterial viral and parasitic DNAs in prostate tissues of men with PD/CPPS.
  2. determine the presence of infectious DNAs in men with and without prostatic inflammation.

Lower Tract Syndromes

PI: John Kreiger, MD
Co-PI: Donald E. Riley
Agency: NIH
Type: RO1, 8-1-1996 to 7-31-2001

As above.

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Selected Publications

Riley DE, Krieger JN. X Chromosomal short tandem repeat polymorphisms near the phosphoglycerate kinase gene in men with chronic prostatitis. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2002;1586(1):99-107.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Krieger JN, Riley DE. Bacteria in the chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome: molecular approaches to critical research questions. J Urol. 2002;167(6):2574-2583.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Krieger JN, Ross SO, Riley DE. Chronic prostatitis: epidemiology and role of infection. Urology. 2002; 60(6 Suppl):8-13.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Takahashi S, Riley DE, Krieger JN. Application of real-time polymerase chain reaction technology to detect prostatic bacteria in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. World J Urol. 2003 Jun;21(2):100-104.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Riley DE, Krieger JN. Short tandem repeats are associated with diverse mRNAs encoding membrane-targeted proteins. Bioessays. 2004 Apr;26(4):434-444.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Krieger JN, Riley DE. Chronic prostatitis: Charlottesville to Seattle. J Urol. 2004 Dec;172(6 Pt 2):2557-60.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Krieger JN, Riley DE. Simple repeat replacements support similar functions of distinct repeats in inter-species mRNA homologs. Gene. 2004 Mar 17;328:17-24.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Krieger JN, Riley DE. Short tandem repeat (STR) replacements in UTRs and introns suggest an important role for certain STRs in gene expression and disease. Gene. 2005 Jan 3;344:203-11. Epub 2004 Dec 7.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Krieger JN, Ross SO, Limaye AP, Riley DE. Inconsistent localization of gram-positive bacteria to prostate-specific specimens from patients with chronic prostatitis. Urology. 2005 Oct;66(4):721-5.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

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Contact Information:

Department of Urology
Box 358280
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-6510
Ph: (206) 762-1010 Ext 3608
Fax: (206) 764-2239