Laboratory
Epigenetics in Human Health and Disease
Dr Ishant Khurana is a distinguished senior postdoctoral research fellow and group leader, Molecular Biomarker Discovery and Bioinformatics, in the Epigenetics in Human Health and Disease lab, where he plays a pivotal role in overseeing large-scale projects and brings expertise in comparative analyses, innovative methodologies and biostatistics for the integration of epigenetic data. His primary research focus revolves around unraveling the intricate interplay between epigenetic alterations and transcriptional regulation in human health and disease.
Dr Khurana leverages advanced methodologies including MBDCap-seq, Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing, RNA Methylation and Transcriptomics, to achieve his research goals. Additionally, he has expertise in data architecture and bioinformatics, allowing him to distill insights from complex datasets.
Dr Khurana's pioneering work includes co-inventing a DNA methylation biomarker assay for diabetic kidney disease, offering potential advancements in diagnosis and prognosis. Published in the esteemed Journal of Clinical Investigation (2023), this research has garnered widespread attention with an Altmetric score of 65. His research in beta-cell regeneration represents a significant stride towards reinstating insulin production in type 1 diabetes. This achievement has been featured in high-impact journals such as Clinical Epigenetics (2023, Altmetric score 95), Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (2022, Altmetric score 320), and Regenerative Medicine (2021, Altmetric score 132), signifying its transformative potential.
Leading global collaborations, Dr Khurana heads the EPICENTRE study, fostering partnerships with esteemed research entities from USA, Finland, Denmark, Thailand, and Hong Kong in diabetes research. Additionally, he leads a collaborative effort with SAHMRI, aimed at addressing chronic kidney disease in the indigenous population through the Prophecy study.
Achievements and Awards
- Sir Laurence Muir Emerging Leader Prize (2025)
- NHMRC CTCS — CI
- Breakthrough T1D — CI
- JDRF Innovation Award
- Editorial Board member, Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome
