Otago cancer researcher wins prestigious national award

Dr Jim Smith (right) is thrilled to have been recognised for the cancer research that he co-leads with Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee.

A recently awarded prestigious national fellowship will help an Otago researcher further his work to improve the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer.

Dr Jim Smith (Te Ātiawa) has been awarded the 2024 Roche Translational Cancer Research Fellowship, worth $40,000.

Also a surgical registrar at Dunedin Hospital, Jim is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Chatterjee Laboratory in the Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine.

Jim says the fellowship provides a "huge opportunity" for his career development in the research space.

The award would provide wider collaboration and network opportunities and the chance to share research progress and findings at conferences. Some funding would go directly into the research project he co-leads with Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee.

Their project, which started in 2021, involves genomic and epigenomic profiling of clinical prostate cancer samples, with the aim of identifying molecular biomarkers to improve prostate cancer screening, diagnosis and monitoring in New Zealand men.

Aniruddha says prostate cancer diagnosis and mortality rates in New Zealand are unfortunately some of the highest in the world compared to international standards. They want to develop an improved blood-based test that's more accessible and equitable, which means diagnosis can happen earlier. In the future, it's hoped that it can be expanded to the monitoring and management of patients too.

Aniruddha, a previous Roche Fellowship recipient, says Jim is "very deserving of this award".

"Jim's passion for research and hard work speaks volumes, especially when coupled with the demands of his clinical training. There will be lots of opportunities for him to go on and become a leader in this space."

Jim has been associated with the lab since he became Aniruddha's first summer student in 2016. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours in 2018.

He says he loves research and being at the cutting edge of ways to improve patient care is "really, really exciting and rewarding".

"I like the idea of having a really good understanding of the fundamental science as well as an awareness of the clinical need that is currently unmet.

"It's a big advantage to have an understanding of both sides. I'm trying to bridge that gap somewhat."

The other key member of the research project, Senior Research Fellow Dr Euan Rodger, says the award recognises Jim's great work and his potential.

"Aniruddha and I are scientists and it's great to have Jim bringing that direct clinical link for improved patient outcomes."

Since 2016, Roche has partnered with the New Zealand Society for Oncology to award the fellowship. Jim received the award at the Society's annual conference in Auckland in October.

The team is very grateful to the T D Scott Chair in Urology Trust, which provided the initial funding to set up the prostate cancer project. Getting funding for research is always highly challenging and the fellowship is greatly appreciated to further this work.

- Kōreroby Andrea Jones, Team Leader, Divisional Communications