Nanopore sequencing specialist
Tel +64 3 479 5123
email augustine.chen@otago.ac.nz
Location: OGF Lab, Room G20, Biochemistry Department
Biographical information
Augustine was awarded a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Otago, Dunedin. His PhD and postdoctoral research with Associate Professor Chris Brown included elucidating unique translational control mechanisms used by the human hepatitis B virus and exploring the therapeutic potential of miRNA.
In 2010, he joined Professor Parry Guilford’s group as a Research Fellow to develop a test for a company to detect high-risk strains of Human Papilloma Virus linked to cervical cancer. From 2012–2020, he was involved in an ongoing HRC funded study which elucidated vulnerabilities associated with E-cadherin deficient cancer cells through synthetic lethal approach utilising genome-wide siRNA knockdown, followed by targeting using FDA approved drugs and novel compounds.
He is currently a senior research fellow (0.5 FTE) with his own research funding to co-develop an NGS-based test (utilising Oxford Nanopore Technologies platform) for applications in early cancer detection as well as environmental monitoring. Since 2021, he has a part-time (0.5 FTE) appointment as a nanopore sequencing specialist in the Otago Genomics Facility.