Office 
(631) 216-9086

Email 
Chitra.Thakur@stonybrookmedicine.edu

Stony Brook Cancer Center
MART Level 8, Room: 8M-0826 
Lauterbur Drive
Stony Brook, NY 11794

Thakur Research Lab

Chitra Thakur, MS, PhD

Assistant Scientific Director, Community Outreach and Engagement
Stony Brook Cancer Center
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

Research Program

Oncogenic Drivers and Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis

Department

Department of Pathology,
Stony Brook Cancer Center Community Outreach and Engagement

Research Interest

My research centers on molecular oncology, with a particular emphasis on defining the genetic, epigenetic, and environmental determinants that govern cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic response, with a strong interest in the interplay between cancer epigenetics, environmental carcinogenesis, and translational biomarker discovery to identify actionable vulnerabilities for early detection and inhibition of disease progression. A major focus of my work is the investigation of the mineral dust-induced gene (mdig) and its role in lung and breast cancer development, progression, and metastasis, using integrated genomic, epigenomic, and functional approaches, next-generation sequencing, and preclinical mouse models to elucidate how mdig shapes chromatin architecture and cellular plasticity that regulate cancer cell growth, survival, and metastatic potential. In parallel, my research extends to interdisciplinary studies examining the scientific basis and therapeutic potential of lifestyle intervention modalities in cancer, including investigations into how mind-body interventions such as oncology-informed yoga and Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) influence quality of life and epigenetic alterations in cancer survivors, integrating behavioral science with molecular profiling to understand how psychosocial well-being may modulate biological pathways relevant to survivorship, resilience, and long-term health.

Education

Professional Education in Applied Data Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
PhD, University of Wurzburg/ Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Wurzburg, Germany 
MS, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India

Publications

A complete list of publications can be found here.