Chatterjee Laboratory

11/06/2026

Delighted and humbled to share that our project on developing a blood-based test for early prostate cancer detection has received funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. This reflects several years of collaborative mahi, building the team, developing the science, establishing clinical partnerships, assembling the samples and infrastructure needed to make this work possible. It is truly the result of outstanding teamwork and shared commitment.

Grateful to all collaborators, students, clinicians, research participants, and supporters who have contributed to this journey, specially the amazing Euan Rodger and Jim Smith. Looking forward to taking this work to the next stage together and advancing more accurate, less invasive approaches for prostate cancer detection and management.

Thanks a lot to Andrea Jones (Faculty of Medicine at Otago) for this very nice story and write-up.

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/better-prostate-cancer-detection-tool-on-the-horizon

Department of Pathology, University of Otago

Promising Otago research into a way to better diagnose prostate cancer has received a major funding boost.

05/06/2026

🇳🇿 🇧🇪 A wonderful and inspiring visit to the University of Namur, Belgium. 🇳🇿 🇧🇪
I have just completed an excellent visit to the University of Namur as part of our Erasmus+ collaboration, hosted by my valued collaborator and good friend, Professor Frederic Silvestre.
During the visit, I had the pleasure of delivering a workshop on publishing in the life sciences and a lecture on technical considerations and emerging trends in DNA methylome analysis. It was fantastic to engage with students, postdoctoral researchers, academic staff, and colleagues from a range of disciplines. The enthusiasm, curiosity, and scientific discussions throughout the visit were fantastic.
One of the key reflections from this visit is something I have long appreciated but was reminded of again: DNA methylation is a fundamental biological process that transcends disciplines. It is a universal molecular mark that helps define cellular identity and function across virtually all biological systems.
While much of my own research focuses on cancer epigenetics, liquid biopsy, and precision medicine, it was fascinating to see how central DNA methylation is to fields such as ecotoxicology, environmental sciences, developmental biology, and evolutionary biology. The questions may differ, but the underlying biology can discovered with common approaches.
This also reinforces an important point: the technologies, analytical frameworks, and epigenomic approaches we develop are not restricted to cancer or human disease. They can be applied across diverse species, model organisms, and biological systems, highlighting the broad impact and versatility of our epigenetics research.
It is an exciting time to be working in the DNA methylation field. As technologies continue to advance and applications expand across disciplines, the opportunities for discovery and translation are enormous.
A sincere thank you to the European Union and the Erasmus+ Programme for supporting this collaboration and enabling international knowledge exchange. These opportunities are invaluable for building partnerships, sharing expertise, and fostering new ideas, specially for us from NZ (to be connected with the world).
Thank you to Frederic and all colleagues at the University of Namur for the warm hospitality, stimulating discussions, and friendship. I look forward to continuing and expanding our collaboration in the years ahead.

22/05/2026

In this recent Journal club article in Nature Reviews Genetics, we highlight the growing importance of DNA methylation and epigenetics in understanding cancer and precision oncology. The field is rapidly evolving from descriptive epigenomics towards functional and translational applications, with exciting advances in methylation profiling and liquid biopsy technologies.

In this Journal Club, Chatterjee and Rodger highlight two studies by Guo et al. and Shen et al. that demonstrated how genome-wide DNA methylation profiling enables sensitive detection and classification of tumour-derived cell-free DNA, advancing epigenetic approaches in liquid biopsy for cancer diag...

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 .