A fly model for metastasis.
Developed an allograft transplantation method in adult Drosophila to study tumor metastasis.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Chaitali Khan
How do tumors and their host tissues shape the earliest events of brain metastasis?
About
Chaitali Khan investigates how cancer cells interact with the tissues around them, using Drosophila to study early events in brain metastasis. Her work connects molecular genetics, cell biology, and light and electron microscopy to reveal the cellular dynamics of the tumor microenvironment.
At NIH, she developed an adult-fly allograft transplantation method for metastasis studies and investigated the pro-invasive role of macrophages in the brain metastatic niche. Her earlier research examined cell competition, p53 and proteotoxic responses, and the links between DNA damage and tissue homeostasis.
Expertise
Drosophila disease models, tumor–host interactions, cell competition, molecular genetics, CRISPR, light and electron microscopy
Interviews
2025 / DISEASE MODELS & MECHANISMS
First person – Chaitali Khan
Chaitali discusses building a fly model of metastasis, the value of Drosophila in cancer research, and her plans for an independent research program.
Read the interview ↗2017 / JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
First person – Chaitali Khan
An interview from her doctoral work at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, accompanying the study of Dronc in DNA damage signalling.
Read the interview ↗Education & career
2021–present
Postdoctoral Fellow
NIH / NHLBI · Bethesda, Maryland
2017–2021
Postdoctoral Fellow
Albert Einstein College of Medicine · Bronx, New York
2018
Ph.D. · Molecular and Cell Biology
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research · Mumbai, India
2011
M.Sc. · Life Sciences
Jawaharlal Nehru University · New Delhi, India
2009
B.Sc. · Biomedical Sciences
University of Delhi · New Delhi, India
Research highlights
The cells around the tumor.
Investigated the pro-invasive function of macrophages in the brain metastatic niche using genetics and advanced imaging.
Competition, damage, repair.
Studied p53 and proteotoxic responses in cell competition, and non-apoptotic caspase signaling in DNA damage repair.
Publications
- The transcription factor Xrp1 orchestrates both reduced translation and cell competition upon defective ribosome assembly or function
- The initiator caspase Dronc plays a non-apoptotic role in promoting DNA damage signalling in D. melanogaster
- A MOPD II-associated Pericentrin variant disrupts PACT domain dimerization and pericentriolar material recruitment.
- Tumor-Associated Macrophages Promote Brain Metastasis.
- Dual contributions of Xrp1 to genome integrity through the DNA damage response and cell competition.
- Allograft Transplantation for Drosophila Tumor Metastasis Studies.
- Using Drosophila to Uncover the Role of Organismal Physiology and the Tumor-Microenvironment in Cancer
- spn-A/rad51 mutant exhibits enhanced genomic damage, cell death and low temperature sensitivity in somatic tissues
- Detection of proteins in wing imaginal discs of Drosophila larvae by western blotting using damage-induced p-Jun as an example
- Genome Damage Sensing Leads to Tissue Homeostasis in Drosophila
- A potential link between p53, cell competition and ribosomopathy in mammals and in Drosophila
Forthcoming / in preparation
- Non-mouse model of Brain metastasis
Recognition
- 2025 Co-winner, MapMySections Data Challenge · Allen Institute for Brain Science
- 2025 Honorable Mention, Drosophila image award · year as listed in CV
- 2018 & 2019 Klinger Conference Travel Award · Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- 2013 Advanced Microscopy fellowship · Bangalore Microscopy Course, NCBS-TIFR
- 2011–2017 TIFR–Department of Atomic Energy Research Scholar Fellowship
Selected talks
Upcoming · Dec 2026
ASCB / EMBO Cell Bio 2026
A Drosophila model reveals tumor-associated macrophages as critical mediators of brain metastasis.
March 2025
Annual Drosophila Research Conference
Dual Contribution of Xrp1 to DDR and Cell competition.
December 2024
ASCB / EMBO Cell Bio microsymposium
Cellular dynamics between host and tumor cells during early brain tumor invasion.
April 2024
Rising Stars in Cell Biology · Johns Hopkins
Tumor–blood-brain barrier glial cell crosstalk in a Drosophila metastasis model.
Teaching & mentoring
Designed and taught an advanced molecular biology course for M.Sc. students at Mumbai University in 2016, and completed pedagogical training in course design and teaching at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2018.
Mentored master’s students, postbaccalaureate researchers, and summer interns on projects spanning DNA damage responses, Drosophila genetics, primary neuronal culture, and cancer models.
Outreach & service
- Member, Fellow Advisory Committee · NHLBI / NIH, 2023–2025
- Head of scientific outreach · Department of Biological Science, TIFR-Mumbai, 2013–2016
- Invited research and career webinars · 2022 and 2024
- Scientific reviewing and science-fair judging