Chatterjee Laboratory

08/04/2026

Very thankful and pleased to see this story highlighting our recent marae kōrero connecting research and community. For me, this kaupapa resonates strongly. Over the past few years, our lab has increasingly engaged with mana whenua to ensure that our research, particularly in cancer epigenetics, is not only scientifically rigorous but also culturally grounded and meaningful.

Initiatives like this reinforce the importance of kanohi ki te kanohi engagement, where trust, respect, and shared understanding underpin the research journey.
I think what stands out is the emphasis on two-way dialogue. Research should not simply be communicated to communities but it should be shaped alongside them. As we continue to develop stronger translational research programmes at the University of Otago, this approach is critical. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that our epigenetics research delivers real benefit to communities in ways that are inclusive, respectful, and enduring. I am proud of this example to show how meaningful engagement can bridge research and community in Aotearoa.

Talking about health research should be a two-way conversation with the community, say members of Otago’s Epigenetics, Disease and Phenotype Laboratory (the Chatterjee Laboratory).

13/03/2026

This week, our team (Chatterjee lab, https://www.otago.ac.nz/chatterjee-lab) had the privilege of visiting Moeraki Marae and spending time engaging with the community. We shared our cancer epigenetics research mahi, including work across several cancer types such as lung, prostate, colorectal and pancreatic cancer.
What stood out most was the genuine interest from the community in how research like this could contribute to improving health outcomes for Māori and rural communities. The kōrero we had was thoughtful, encouraging, and deeply motivating for our team.
This visit has taken time and care to organise. For us, it is important that engagement with communities happen in the right way, through meaningful two-way communication, listening, and building trust and relationships rather than simply presenting research.
We are incredibly grateful to the Moeraki Marae and mana whenua for their warm welcome, generous hospitality, and openness in discussing how research and community priorities can connect. We also sincerely thank our wonderful Otago colleagues, Kaumātua and collaborators from OMD who helped guide and support this engagement.
Experiences like this remind us that research is not only about discovery, but also about purpose, partnership, and impact. Our team is very motivated to continue working along this pathway to help improve cancer outcomes through our research.
Ka rawe, ka pai.

21/02/2026

A truly rewarding and impactful visit to India 🇮🇳 — strengthening teaching, research, and global partnerships for the University of Otago.
I had the privilege of spending a week at UPES University, Dehradun. Thanks so much to UPES - SoHST and Subhajit Basu for hosting me. I have delivered a masterclass on multi-omics of disease and lead an intensive multi-day life science writing workshop. It was inspiring to engage with talented students, teach and showcase future postgraduate to them.

As part of a senior Otago delegation with Prof Gregory Cook Shelagh Murray and Jason Cushen, we visited IIT Delhi — a long-standing collaborator and home to the New Zealand Centre — where we explored new research and strategic partnership opportunities. We also visited Ashoka University, where a new exchange agreement was signed, marking an exciting step forward in academic mobility for both these institutions.

The visit concluded with the Otago Connect event at the New Zealand High Commissioner’s residence in Delhi, bringing together alumni, partners, and prospective students to celebrate growing NZ–India collaboration.
Grateful for the warm hospitality and very energised by the momentum we are gaining in this space. This visit further reinforces Otago’s expanding global presence and our commitment to internationalisation.
Andrea Jones (Communications office, Uni of Otago) also wrote a post about it. Thanks Andrea for this.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HdGrhX7p9/

16/01/2026

DNA methylation mapping of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has emerged as a promising clinical tool. Choosing the right analytical method is crucial for working with limited amount of sample, ensuring cost-effectiveness, and supporting clinical translation. Here we compare key technology in liquid biopsy epigenetics in terms of cost, accuracy, and reproducibility to guide transnational research in this space. This is an active focus of my lab. . Check it out:

Epigenetic analysis, especially DNA methylation profiling of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA), has recently emerged as a promising clinical tool. Choosing the ri...

30/12/2025

Wonderful to be involved in this fantastic collaboration from NZ with team. This work described a Novel Hypoxia-driven transcriptomic and epigenetic landscapes in meningioma. This work was developed with support and direct involvement of the New Zealand Centre at IIT Delhi (URL: https://international.iitd.ac.in/new-zealand-center-at-iitd/). Students from both the countries were involved, they worked together and co-authored this paper. It is wonderful and very pleased with this excellent output. Published now in: Journal of Translational Medicine

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-025-07606-9

Meningiomas are among the most prevalent central nervous system (CNS) tumors, with up to 20% of cases exhibiting recurrence or aggressive behavior. Hypoxia

23/12/2025

It’s a wrap for the year from the Chatterjee Lab.
It’s been an amazing, intense, and deeply fulfilling year. From pushing the boundaries of cancer epigenetics and liquid biopsy research, to securing key funding, building international collaborations to mentoring outstanding students. I am also very pleased with the work on the International sector in my new role and the support and encouragement I have received. A lot of gratitude for what we’ve achieved together and the excitement for what lies ahead. Thanks everyone and wishing you all a restful end to the year, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

12/11/2025

The Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Dunedin) came alive this week with vibrant colours, light, and laughter as we celebrated Diwali — the Festival of Lights. ✨
Our corridors glowed with diyas and rangoli, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Colleagues from across the department joined in to share sweets, stories, and smiles and this is a wonderful reminder of the diversity and warmth that enriches our workplace/University.
Festivals like Diwali remind us of the power of community — of coming together beyond labs, microscopes, and reports to celebrate the values that bind us all: joy, gratitude, and renewal.
A big thank you to everyone who helped organise and participate — you brought light not only to our space but to our hearts. 🌸
🌟
Thanks so much for the funding and support to India in New Zealand (High Commission of India, Wellington) and Little India and Dosa etc.

Department of Pathology, University of Otago

Commision of India and .

04/11/2025

Come and study Genomic Health and Medicine with us in a flexible way. Our Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences endorsed in Genomic Health and Medicine offers the first opportunity in Aotearoa New Zealand to complete a postgraduate qualification in the emerging field of genomics. The paper is open to students of any qualification with interest in health and genomics. The papers are distance-taught and therefore highly flexible for working professionals as well.
https://www.otago.ac.nz/courses/subjects/gehm

Our student cohort consisted of GPs, Oncology specialists, Research Nurse, Genetic councillors and health professional working in different parts of New Zealand and also Genetics students.

As part of this, the Introduction to Clinical Bioinformatics paper is also now open for enrolment for 2026 (semester 1): https://www.otago.ac.nz/courses/papers?papercode=BINF701 -2025

Please message or email Dr Aaron Stevens (aaron.stevens@otago.ac.nz) or myself (aniruddha.chatterjee@otago.ac.nz) if you have any query. Ka pai.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD or ENCOURAGE anyone you think might who might be interested.

Please see https://developers.cloudflare.com/support/troubleshooting/http-status-codes/cloudflare-1###-errors/error-1015/ for more details.

14/10/2025

A very nice article profiling the first Academic Roadshow in India for University of Otago event, ka pai.

In a first for Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, an academic roadshow spanning three cities and six events highlighted the best of what Otago has to offer to prospective students and partners in India – an initiative which has already proved its worth.

03/08/2025

I’ve just returned from an inspiring visit to Europe, where I had the opportunity to strengthen collaborations with leading researchers and institutions working at the forefront of epigenetics and disease.
This visit was an excellent chance to exchange ideas on translational epigenetics, biomarker discovery, and liquid biopsy innovations — areas that have the potential to transform cancer diagnostics and precision medicine and topics that our research group is playing a lead role in Aotearoa New Zealand
I’m grateful for the warm welcome and engaging discussions with old and new friends and colleagues across multiple countries and labs in Europe, whose work continues to push boundaries in our field. These connections are crucial as we work towards building robust international networks that will accelerate impactful research and deliver real benefits for patients. I also believe that in today's interconnected world and constrained environment, collaboration is more important than ever to maximise the potential of our research and achieve better outcomes.
Looking forward to continued collaboration and hopefully many exciting joint projects ahead! (including hopefully Horizon EU projects).
hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

28/07/2025

Our new research journey (excited, motivated and emotional) in pancreatic cancer starts. There is no word to express my gratitude and thanks to the Louise Davie Charitable Trust for the support and funding. We have a great team and we will leave no stone unturned to achieve the outcome. Thanks to Otago Daily times (Otago Daily Times) for this article. Health Sciences at Otago Department of Pathology, University of Otago Otago Medical Research Foundation

Dunedin researchers are heading up an international study to identify abnormal DNA markers in order to detect a deadly cancer before it is too late...

26/05/2025

Chatterjee Lab's New Lab Poster 2025. I am very privileged to lead this wonderful group. Big thanks to Euan Rodger for his Magic skills in making the poster. Thanks to Sayan for his input as well.