Chatterjee Laboratory

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.

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/

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

Researchers hunting early pancreatic cancer markers 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...