Rate My Professor Aaron Stevens

Dr. Aaron Stevens is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Otago, Wellington. He earned his BSc and Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) from the University of Canterbury and his PhD from the University of Otago, Christchurch, where his doctoral work in the Gene Structure and Function Laboratory under Professor Martin Kennedy examined the interaction of G-quadruplex DNA structures and cytosine methylation, including their effects on PCR amplification of imprinted genes such as MEST, leading to insights on allelic dropout.

As Director of the Genomic and Epigenomic Research Lab, Stevens leads investigations into how environmental factors like diet, stress, immune oxidants from inflammation and infection, and gut microbiome alterations drive epigenetic changes influencing disease progression. His research spans molecular pathology and precision medicine, focusing on DNA methylation patterns during replication and their regulation of gene activity, cell differentiation, migration, and tissue architecture; oxidative stress impacts on epigenetics in cancer, ageing, and Alzheimer's disease; micronutrient effects on microbiome and mental health conditions including ADHD and perinatal depression; and nanopore sequencing alongside next-generation sequencing for characterizing cancer subtypes in colorectal, kidney, uterine leiomyoma, and B-cell malignancies to support diagnostics and prognosis. Supervising postgraduate students, his team collaborates with clinical specialists to advance health outcomes through epigenetic and genomic tools.

Stevens' publications highlight his contributions, including 'Human gut microbiome changes during a 10 week Randomised Control Trial for micronutrient supplementation in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder' (Scientific Reports, 2019); 'Epigenetics, nutrition and mental health. Is there a relationship?' (Nutritional Neuroscience, 2018); 'Chromosomal instability and its effect on cell lines' (Cancer Reports, 2023); 'Chronic inflammation to cancer: The impact of oxidative stress on DNA methylation' (Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark, 2025); and 'Efficacy of oral micronutrients and online mindfulness for emotional dysregulation in children aged 6–10 (The M&M Trial)' (Nutritional Psychiatry, 2026).