Dr Jyotsna Batra

Research interests

I am a Professor of Genetics focused on cancer genomics and biomarker translation in endocrine‑related cancers, particularly prostate cancer. My group integrates molecular biology (cell/organotypic models, qPCR/IHC), multi‑omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics), and bioinformatics/statistical genetics to understand therapy resistance and deliver assays that can be used in clinical pathways.

My current research centres on (i) identifying and validating biomarkers of risk, progression and treatment response; (ii) mapping mechanisms of resistance (e.g., AR/ER signalling, cancer stemness programs); and (iii) converting genomic insight into clinically actionable tools. This includes developing biomarker‑anchored assays for patient stratification and exploring links between tumour genomics and real‑world outcomes.

My earlier work spans the Indian Genome Variation Consortium (population‑scale genomics; publications in Science and PNAS; two patents from my doctoral research), through to kallikrein biology, GWAS, and large candidate‑gene studies that advanced prostate cancer genetics. I lead the Queensland node of the PRACTICAL consortium, contributing to international replication and meta‑analysis efforts (outputs in Nature Genetics, AJHG, J Hum Genet, CEBP).

Currently funded projects and recent support include the Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship (2020–2025), which underpins our biomarker translation and assay development program across prostate and other hormone‑sensitive cancers. I also recently completed an MTPConnect REDI (industry) fellowship with TissueGnostics (Vienna) to accelerate digital pathology and translational assay pipelines.

I collaborate with clinical partners in urology/oncology, data‑science and multi‑omics teams, and international consortia, including PRACTICAL. Across my program, we emphasise rigorous methods, open science, and consumer engagement, with the goal of moving discoveries from bench to bedside-earlier risk stratification, smarter treatment selection, and improved outcomes for people with endocrine‑related cancers.