Rate My Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee

Aniruddha Chatterjee is a Research Associate Professor, Rutherford Discovery Fellow, and Sir Charles Hercus Fellow in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at the Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago. He serves as Head of the Epigenetics, Disease and Phenotype Laboratory, established in 2017, and holds leadership roles including Associate Dean (International) for the Division of Health Sciences and former Associate Dean Research for the Otago Medical School. Originally from Berhampore, West Bengal, India, Chatterjee completed schooling there before earning a BSc with a triple major in biotechnology, biochemistry, and chemistry from Osmania University, Hyderabad, achieving first class honors. He obtained an MSc in Biotechnology with distinction from Vellore Institute of Technology, supported by a government-funded scholarship. In 2009, he arrived at the University of Otago on a New Zealand Centre of Excellence scholarship to pursue a PhD in epigenetics under Professor Ian Morison, focusing on whole-genome DNA methylation mapping in human neutrophils, melanoma, and zebrafish. He pioneered reduced representation methylation sequencing in these contexts and contributed to methodology development for DNA methylation and microRNA analysis. Since completing his doctorate, Chatterjee has remained at Otago, advancing through postdoctoral research to his current positions.

Chatterjee's research employs bioinformatics and experimental approaches to study epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, in cancer metastasis, generating epigenetic maps for melanoma, oral, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers. Additional interests include analytical tools for epigenomic analysis, cellular and tissue-specific epigenetics, environmental epigenetics, and recent work on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and Long COVID. Key publications include 'Epigenetic drivers of tumourigenesis and cancer metastasis' (Seminars in Cancer Biology, 2018), 'Promoter DNA hypermethylation and paradoxical gene activation' (Trends in Cancer, 2020), 'Targeting DNA methylation and EZH2 activity to overcome melanoma resistance to immunotherapy' (Trends in Immunology, 2019), and editorship of Epigenetics of Cervical Cancer (Springer, 2025). He developed the DMAP differential methylation analysis package (Bioinformatics, 2014). Awards include the Royal Society Te Apārangi Rutherford Discovery Fellowship (2017–2024), Health Research Council Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship, and Illumina Emerging Researcher Award (2015). Chatterjee teaches PATH 301 Applied Pathology, PATH 302 Cancer Pathology, BINF 701 Introduction to Clinical Bioinformatics, and GENE 412 Current Topics in Genetics. He holds executive roles in Genetics Otago, is New Zealand representative for the Australian Epigenetics Alliance, and contributes to committees like the Maurice Wilkins Centre and Melanoma Network of New Zealand. His work has significant impact, with high citation counts and global recognition, including ranking in the top 0.05% of scientists worldwide.