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Associate Professor Jyotsna Batra

MSc, PhD

Associate Professor and Group Leader

Projects

About me

I have been continuously involved in scientific research in the area of Genetics since 2002. The focus of my PhD thesis was on asthma, which is a widespread respiratory tract ailment. I have undertaken large- scale population and family based studies, which led to the identification of some novel features in various key genes associated with asthma. I then moved field to cancer genetics to undertake my postdoctoral studies in Australia.  In 2010, I was awarded two highly prestigious and competitive NHMRC Fellowships - a Peter Doherty Fellowship (accepted) and an NHMRC Overseas Biomedical Fellowship (offer not accepted). With the award of my CIA NHMRC Project Grant (2011, $565,000), I started to establish my own research group on Molecular Genetics at the Translational Research Institute and I am now successfully running my group with 7 PhD students, one post-doc, one honours student and one research assistant. Studying the genetic variation in the miRNAs and their functional role in prostate cancer has been a major focus for my current Fellowship, which I plan to expand to a Genome scale for multiple additional traits. In addition to genetic association studies, I am incorporating high end bioinformatics analysis, in order to more broadly define genes that define disease risk and to understand the basic molecular mechanism behind these genetic associations.  A key part of my current activities involves being the Principal Investigator of the Brisbane node of PRACTICAL (the largest international prostate cancer consortium), which has rewarded me with four Nature Genetics publications (the top ranked journal of the field) and additional publications in highly regarded Journals.

To date, I have published 120 articles. Due to the nature of this work involving extensive collaboration across multiple sites, some of these publications have the PRACTICAL consortium (N=20) and Indian Genome Variation Consortium as the main author (N=20). I have published N=81 articles (50 in the last 5 years) as the first/last/co-author with substantial contribution consisting of 60 research articles, 9 reviews and 3 book chapters, 2 invited commentaries  and 1 editorial (29 i.e.35% as first/corresponding author; H-index=25).

Prizes, honours and awards and Invited keynote and speaker addresses:

I have received several awards, prizes and distinctions throughout my career, Evidence of my increasing national and international profile in the genetics of complex disorders is demonstrated by my receipt of the prestigious 2014 Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman award by the NRI Welfare Society of India, This is a very prestigious award where 20 non-resident Indians world-wide are recognised for excellence in their field and enhancing the impact of Indian accomplishments. I have also been a finalist for the QLD Women in Technology (WiT) Rising Star and ASMR Postdoctoral and Senior Researcher awards. I was an international Semi-finalist for the Trainee Research Award at the prestigious International Congress of Human Genetics. My research excellence was acknowledged by QUT by the awarding of VC Excellence and Performance Awards consecutively in 2015 and 2016 and a Fellowship to attend the QUT Accelerated Leadership Pathways program 2017. I have delivered 30 invited addresses, chaired conference sessions and have been a poster/oral presentation judge on several occasions. I have won eight best presentation awards as a student or ECR and now my students are continuing the heritage of winning awards at conferences.

Research support income:

My full time research position has allowed me to expand my research interests within the genomics and molecular genetics area, where I have established a strong track record as a geneticist. I have attracted more than $4M of funding including an ongoing role as CIC on NHMRC grant 1109286 (2011-2014), CIA on two Cancer Australia grants (PdCCRS, 2015-2017, 2017-18) grants and recently funded TRI SPORE and CCQ grants. I am currently supporting 1 RA, 1 post-doc, 1 Honours and 7 PhD students.

Total Current Grants: $1,455,340 (Nationally Competitive: $1,365,340)

Total Past Funding:    $2,689,241 (Nationally Competitive: $2,528,833)

Total:                          $4,144,581 (Nationally Competitive: $3,894,173)

Publications

Scholarly Book Chapters (Selected publications in last 5 Years out of total 140)

  1. Batra J, Srinivasan S, and Clements J, Chapter 5: Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Editors: George M. Yousef, Serge Jothy, Molecular Testing in Cancer (2014) Springer Link, ISBN: 978-1-4899-8049-6 (Print)  978-1-4899-8050-2 (Online) p55 -80.

  2. Batra J, Clements J, (2013) Kallikrein-related Peptidase 15 (Prostinogen). In Rawlings N.D. and Salvesen G.S. (Eds), Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes (3rd edition), Academic Press, p2814-2817

  3. Batra J, O'Mara TA, Lose F, Clements J, (2012) Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human KLK locus and their implication in various diseases. In Magdolen V, Sommerhoff C.P., Fritz H and Schmitt M (Eds), Kallikrein-related peptidases (Volume 1): Characterization, regulation, and interactions within the protease web, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, p31-78

     

    Refereed Journal Articles

  4. *Lai J.,…, Batra, J. (2017). A microsatellite repeat in PCA3 long non-coding RNA is associated with prostate cancer risk and aggressiveness. Scientific reports. (Manuscript accepted dated 13/11/2017). IF: 4.2

  5. Wang, X. B., Ellis, J. J., Pennisi, D. J., Song, X., Batra, J., Hollis, K., . . . Brown, M. A. (2017). Transcriptome analysis of ankylosing spondylitis patients before and after TNF-α inhibitor therapy reveals the pathways affected. Genes And Immunity, 18 IF: 2.5

  6. Dimitrakopoulou, V. I., Tsilidis, K. K., Haycock, P. C., Dimou, N. L., Al-Dabhani, K., Martin, R. M., . . . Batra J, et al. (2017). Circulating vitamin D concentration and risk of seven cancers: Mendelian randomisation study. IF: 2.4

  7. Lophatananon, A., Stewart-Brown,…, Batra J, et al. (2017). Height, selected genetic markers and prostate cancer risk: results from the PRACTICAL consortium. Br J Cancer, 117(5), 734-743. IF: 6.2

  8. *Satapathy, S., Batra, J., Jeet, V., Thompson, E. W., & Punyadeera, C. (2017). MicroRNAs in HPV associated cancers: small players with big consequences. Expert Rev Mol Diagn, 17(7), 711-722. IF: 3.1

  9. Luu, H. N., Lin, H. Y., ,…, Batra J, et al. (2017). miRNAs associated with prostate cancer risk and progression. BMC Urol, 17(1 IF: 1.7

  10. *Ibrahim, R, Yousef, P., Batra, J., Yousef, L., Pasic, M, Krizova, A., Yousef, G. M. (2017) Exploring the Mechanisms Controlling MiRNA Expression During Prostate Cancer Progression. Canadian Journal of Pathology.

  11. Taylor AE, Martin RM, …, Park J, Kaneva R, Batra J, et al. (2017) Investigating the possible causal role of coffee consumption with prostate cancer risk and progression using Mendelian randomization analysis. Int J Cancer. Jan 15;140(2):322-328. IF: 5.5

  12. Matin, F., & Batra, J. (2017). A microRNA molecular signature of aggressive prostate cancer. Translational Cancer Research, 6, S12-S14. IF:1.7

  13. Pandey,S., Walpole C., Cabot, P, Shaw, P., Batra, J.*, Hewavitharana, A.* (2017) Selective anti-proliferative activities of Carica papaya leaf juice extracts against prostate cancer. *Joint last author. Biomed Pharmacother, 89, 515-523. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.02.050. IF: 2.3

  14. Brunner C, Davies NM, …, Park J, Kaneva R, Batra J, et al. (2017) Alcohol consumption and prostate cancer incidence and progression: A Mendelian randomisation study. Int J Cancer. Jan 1;140(1):75-85. IF: 5.5

  15. Southey MC, Goldgar DE, Winqvist R, Pylkäs K, Couch F… Batra J et al (2016) PALB2, CHEK2 and ATM rare variants and cancer risk: data from COGS. J Med Genet. Dec;53(12):800-811 IF:5.6

  16. Khankari NK, Murff HJ, …, Park J, Kaneva R, Batra J, et al. (2016) Polyunsaturated fatty acids and prostate cancer risk: a Mendelian randomisation analysis from the PRACTICAL consortium. Br J Cancer. Aug 23;115(5):624-31. IF: 5.6

  17. Lin HY, Chen DT, …, Batra J, ..., Park JY. (2016) SNP interaction pattern identifier (SIPI): an intensive search for SNP-SNP interaction patterns. Bioinformatics.

  18. Saunders EJ, Dadaev T, …, Park JY, Kaneva R, Batra J, et al. (2016) Gene and pathway level analyses of germline DNA-repair gene variants and prostate cancer susceptibility using the iCOGS-genotyping array. Br J Cancer. 2016 Apr 12;114(8):945-52. IF:5.6

  19. *Lai J, An J, Srinivasan S, Clements JA, Batra J. (2016) A computational analysis of the genetic and transcript diversity at the kallikrein locus. Biol Chem.Dec 1;397(12):1307-1313. IF:4.4

  20. Kar SP, Beesley J, Amin Al Olama A, Michailidou K, ...Batra J et al, Genome-wide Meta-analyses of Breast, Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Association Studies Identify Multiple New Susceptibility Loci Shared by At Least Two Cancer Types. Cancer Discov. 2016 Sep;6(9):1052-67. IF: 19.8

  21. *Matin F, Jeet V, Clements J., Yousef G, Batra J. (2016) MicroRNA Theranostics in Prostate Cancer Precision Medicine, Clin Chem. 2016 Oct;62(10):1318-33. IF: 7.9

  22. Bonilla, C., S.J. Lewis, …, J. Park, R. Kaneva, J. Batra, et al. (2016) Pubertal development and prostate cancer risk: Mendelian randomization study in a population-based cohort. BMC Med, 14(1): p. 66. IF: 8

  23. Bonilla, C., S.J. Lewis, …, J. Park, R. Kaneva, J. Batra, et al. (2016) Assessing the role of insulin-like growth factors and binding proteins in prostate cancer using Mendelian randomization: Genetic variants as instruments for circulating levels. Int J Cancer. 1;139(7):1520-33. IF: 5.5

  24. Bull, C.J., C. Bonilla, …, J. Park, R. Kaneva, J. Batra, et al. (2016) Blood lipids and prostate cancer: a Mendelian randomization analysis. Cancer Med. Jun;5(6):1125-36 IF: 2.9

  25. Gusev, A., H. Shi, …, J.Y. Park, …, J. Batra, et al. (2016) Atlas of prostate cancer heritability in European and African-American men pinpoints tissue-specific regulation. Nat Commun, 7: p. 10979. IF: 11.3

  26. *Srinivasan S, Clements JA, Batra J. (2016) Single nucleotide polymorphisms in clinics: Fantasy or reality for cancer? Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2016;53(1):29-39. IF: 3.7

  27. *Prasadam, I., Batra J., S. Perry, W. Gu, R. Crawford, and Y. Xiao (2016) Systematic Identification, Characterization and Target Gene Analysis of microRNAs Involved in Osteoarthritis Subchondral Bone Pathogenesis. Calcif Tissue Int,. 99(1): p. 43-55. IF: 3

  28. *Tevz G, McGrath S, Demeter R, Magrini V, Jeet V, Rockstroh A, McPherson S, Lai J, Bartonicek N, An J, Batra J, Dinger ME, Lehman ML, Williams ED, Nelson CC. (2016) Identification of a novel fusion transcript between human relaxin-1 (RLN1) and human relaxin-2 (RLN2) in prostate cancer. Mol Cell Endocrinol., 15;420:159-68. IF: 4.1

  29. *Lai J, An J, Seim I, Walpole C, Hoffman A, Moya L, Srinivasan S, Perry-Keene JL; Australian Prostate Cancer Bioresource, Wang C, Lehman ML, Nelson CC, Clements JA, Batra J. (2015) Fusion transcript loci share many genomic features with non-fusion loci. BMC Genomics. Dec 1;16(1):1021. IF: 3.3

  30. Davies NM, Gaunt TR, …, Park J, Kaneva R, Batra J, et al. (2015) The effects of height and BMI on prostate cancer incidence and mortality: a Mendelian randomization study in 20,848 cases and 20,214 controls from the PRACTICAL consortium. Cancer Causes Control. Nov;26(11):1603-16. IF:3.3

  31. Szulkin R, Karlsson R, …, Park JY, …, Batra J, et al. (2015) Genome-Wide Association Study of Prostate Cancer-Specific Survival. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. Nov;24(11):1796-800 IF: 4.6

  32. Szulkin R, Whitington T, …, Park JY, …, Batra J, Clements JA et al. (2015) Prediction of individual genetic risk to prostate cancer using a polygenic score. Prostate. Sep;75(13):1467-74. doi: 10.1002/pros.23037. IF: 3.5

  33. Amin Al Olama A, Dadaev T, ..Batra J, et al. (2015) Multiple novel prostate cancer susceptibility signals identified by fine-mapping of known risk loci among Europeans. Hum Mol Genet. Oct 1;24(19):5589-602. IF:5.9

  34. Amin Al Olama A, Benlloch S, ..Batra J, …, Park JY, et al. (2015) Risk Analysis of Prostate Cancer in PRACTICAL, a Multinational Consortium, Using 25 Known Prostate Cancer Susceptibility Loci. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. Jul;24(7):1121-9. IF: 3.6

  35. Alexander KE, Chambers S, Spurdle AB, Batra J, Lose F, O'Mara TA, Gardiner RA, Aitken JF, Clements JA, Kedda MA, Janda M. (2015 )Association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in growth factor genes and quality of life in men with prostate cancer and the general population. Qual Life Res. Sep;24(9):2183-93 IF: 2.5

  36. *Stegeman S, Amankwah E, Klein K, …Clements JA, Park JY, Batra J. A Large-Scale Analysis of Genetic Variants within Putative miRNA Binding Sites in Prostate Cancer. Cancer Discov. 2015 Apr;5(4):368-79. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-14-1057. Epub 2015 Feb 17. IF: 19.8

  37. *Stegeman S, Moya L, Selth LA, Spurdle AB, Clements JA, Batra J. A (2015) Agenetic variant of MDM4 influences regulation by multiple microRNAs in prostate cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer. Apr;22(2):265-76. IF: 4.5

  38. *Srinivasan S., Batra J (2014) Review article- Four Generations of Sequencing- Is it Ready for the Clinic Yet? Next Generation: Sequencing & Applications 1:1 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/jngsa.1000107. IF 1.3

  39. *Painter JN, O'Mara TA, Batra J, et al. (2014) Fine-mapping of the HNF1B multicancer locus identifies candidate variants that mediate endometrial cancer risk. Hum Mol Genet. Mar 1;24(5):1478-92. IF: 6.85

  40. *An J, Lai J, Sajjanhar A, Batra J, Wang C, Nelson CC. (2014) J-Circos: An Interactive Circos plotter. Bioinformatics. May 1;31(9):1463-5. IF: 5

  41. Al Olama AA, Kote-Jarai Z, …, Park J, …, Batra J, et al. (2014) A meta-analysis of 87,040 individuals identifies 23 new susceptibility loci for prostate cancer. Nat Genet. 46(10):1103-9. doi: 10.1038/ng.3094. IF: 29.3

  42. Dong Y, Batra J, Anand K, Bapat, S, Clements JA. (2014) Transforming the Future of Treatment for Ovarian Cancer. Clin Exp Pharmacol. 4:3. IF: 1.3

  43. Lai J, Batra J. (2014) Speckle-type POZ protein mutations interrupt tumor suppressor function of speckle-type POZ protein in prostate cancer by affecting androgen receptor degradation. Asian J Androl. Sep-Oct;16(5):659-60. IF: 2.5

  44. Lai J, An J, Nelson CC, Lehman ML, Batra J, Clements JA.(2014) Analysis of androgen and anti-androgen regulation of KLK-related peptidase 2, 3, and 4 alternative transcripts in prostate cancer. Biol Chem. 395(9):1127-32. doi: 10.1515/hsz-2014-0149. IF: 2.6

  45. Saunders E, Dadaev T, Leongamornlert D, Jugurnauth-Little S, MalgorzataTymrakiewicz,…..., Batra J., et al (2014). Fine-Mapping the HOXB Region Detects Common Variants Tagging a Rare Coding Allele: Evidence for Synthetic Association in Prostate Cancer. PLoS Genet 10(2): e1004129, IF: 9.4

  46. *Patnala R, Clements J, Batra J, (2013) Candidate gene association studies: a comprehensive guide to useful in silico tools , BMC Genetics, 14, p1-11, IF: 2.8 Most downloaded article and Editor’s choice

  47. Olama A, Kote-Jarai Z…., Batra J, Clements J,…(2013) A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies to identify prostate cancer susceptibility loci associated with aggressive and non-aggressive disease, Human Molecular Genetics, 22 (2), p408-415, Cites: 3, IF: 7.7

  48. Kote-Jarai Z, Saunders EJ, Leongamornlert DA, Tymrakiewicz M, Dadaev T, Jugurnauth-Little S, Ross-Adams H, Olama A, Benlloch S, Halim S, Batra J, Clements J, at al, (2013) Fine-mapping identifies multiple prostate cancer risk loci at 5p15, one of which associates with TERT expression, Human Molecular Genetics, 22 (12), p2520-2528, IF: 7.7

  49. *Eeles RA, Parker CC, Van As NJ, Woodhouse CJ, Thompson A, Dudderidge T, Ogden C, Cooper C, Lophatananon A, Cox A, Batra J, et al. (2013) Identification of 23 new prostate cancer susceptibility loci using the iCOGS custom genotyping array, Nature Genetics, 45 (4), p385-391, IF: 35.2

  50. Lose F, Batra J, et al. (2013) Common variation in Kallikrein genes KLK5, KLK6, KLK12, and KLK13 and risk of prostate cancer and tumor aggressiveness, Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, 31 (5), p635-643, IF: 3.7

  51. *Batra J, O'Mara TA, et al. (2012) Genetic polymorphisms in the human tissue kallikrein (KLK) locus and their implication in various malignant and non-malignant diseases, Biological Chemistry, 393 (12), p1365-1390, IF: 2.7

  52. Lose F, Lawrence M, Srinivasan S, O'Mara T, Marquart L, .., Batra J, et al. (2012) The kallikrein 14 gene is down-regulated by androgen receptor signalling and harbours genetic variation that is associated with prostate tumour aggressiveness, Biological Chemistry: official scientific journal of the GBM, 393 (5), p403-412, IF: 2.7

  53. Soni A, Bansal A, Mishra AK, Batra J, et al. (2012) Association of androgen receptor, prostate-specific antigen, and CYP19 gene polymorphisms with prostate carcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia in a north Indian population, Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers, 16 (8), p835-840, IF: 1.4

  54. Lose F, Srinivasan S,…, Batra J, et al. (2012) Genetic association of the KLK4 locus with risk of prostate cancer, PLoS ONE, 7 (9), p1-14, IF: 3.7

 

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Research fields

Prostate Cancer

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