Email sulagna.banerjee@otago.ac.nz
About me
I’m a Medical Geneticist with a deep-rooted passion for uncovering insights that can make a real difference for people living with severe genetic conditions. With an MSc in Medical Genetics from the University of Glasgow and a PhD from the University of Otago, my journey has taken me across the globe, blending my love for travel with a dedication to research. I believe in the power of giving back—through my work and in life—and I’m committed to helping piece together the genetic puzzles that impact so many lives.
Research interests
As a Medical Geneticist, my interests lie in the genetic events behind severe neurological conditions like early-onset epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease, multiple sclerosis and the associated molecular events that lead to disease progression. I am very interested in pathogenic gene variants and the associated underlying molecular events resulting in disease development and progression. I have previous experience in cloning and gene editing in E. coli using Zinc finger recombinases for my masters’ dissertation. My PhD research focused on creating a Xenopus laevis tadpole model of severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique. Through the project I have developed skills necessary for creating functional animal models, gene manipulation, animal behavioural analysis and electrophysiology.
Additionally, as a current Postdoctoral Fellow, I am working on a research project aimed at investigating how pathogenic DEE variants contribute to the development of severe seizure phenotypes and brain malfunction. My current research focus is on neuroinflammation (NI) and how it affects the epileptic brain and seizure severity in DEE patients. Using the X.laevis tadpole model of DEE, I am looking into the link between NI and DEE seizure severity and if targeting NI using repurposed anti-inflammatory drugs (AIDs) can be an effective alternative therapy for DEE patients, majority of whom suffer from drug resistant seizures.
Publications
Banerjee, S., Earl, C., Robson, S. C., Szyszka, P., & Beck, C. W. (2026). Seizures, increased interhemispheric synchrony, altered brain transcriptomics and a leaky blood-brain barrier result from loss of ap3b2 in a CRISPR tadpole model of DEE48. Frontiers in Neurology, 17, 1777738. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1777738 Journal - Research Article
Beck, C. W., Banerjee, S., & Day, R. C. (2026). Neurod2 knockdown in Xenopus laevis tadpole brain retains cells in a proliferating, progenitor-like state. microPublication Biology, 2026. doi: 10.17912/micropub.biology.002018 Journal - Research Article
Banerjee, S., Szyszka, P., & Beck, C. (2024). Tadpoles, seizures, and leaky brains: An intriguing model of severe epilepsy. Proceedings of the Australasian Neuroscience Society (ANS) Annual Scientific Meeting. Retrieved from https://ans-2024.m.tas.currinda.com Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Matthews, A., Banerjee, S., Beck, C., & Geurten, B. (2024). Using machine learning to quantify seizure behaviour in a tadpole model of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. In K.-L. Horne (Ed.), Proceedings of the 40th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 54). Retrieved from https://www.awcbr.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Banerjee, S., Szyszka, P., & Beck, C. W. (2024). Knockdown of NeuroD2 leads to seizure-like behaviour, brain neuronal hyperactivity and a leaky blood-brain barrier in a Xenopus laevis tadpole model of DEE75. Genetics, 277(3), iyae085. doi: 10.1093/genetics/iyae085 Journal - Research Article