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Aleksandra Tata

Assistant Professor in Surgery
Surgery, Surgical Sciences
Sands Building Room 448, 303 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710
Sands Building Room 448, 303 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor in Surgery · 2024 - Present Surgery, Surgical Sciences, Surgery
Assistant Research Professor of Cell Biology · 2020 - Present Cell Biology, Basic Science Departments

In the News


Published November 15, 2023
Study Provides Clues to Developing Better Treatments for Lung Damage

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Recent Publications


Ferret model of bleomycin-induced lung injury shares features of human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Journal Article NPJ Regen Med · November 21, 2025 Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating lung disease with limited treatment options, partly due to a lack of effective disease models. This study presents a ferret model of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) induced by bleomycin, which replicates key cha ... Full text Link to item Cite

Modeling functional responses to pollutant exposure using modular hydrogel supported vascularized alveolosphere-on-a-chip.

Journal Article Biomater Sci · October 21, 2025 Alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells play a pivotal role in maintaining lung homeostasis, and the generation of three-dimensional cultures, such as alveolospheres, provides a valuable model for studying lung development, pathologies, and drug responses. Here, we in ... Full text Link to item Cite

Mechanosensitive genomic enhancers potentiate the cellular response to matrix stiffness.

Journal Article Science · September 25, 2025 Epigenetic control of gene expression and cellular phenotype is influenced by changes in the local microenvironment, yet how mechanical cues precisely influence epigenetic state to regulate transcription remains largely unmapped. Here, we combine genome-wi ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Molecular control of a novel transitional cell state in alveolar regeneration

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2029

Tau Mediates Microtubule and Mitochondrial Dynamics to Control Cellular Organization and Alveolar Epithelial Repair

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute · 2024 - 2029

Alveolar injury and repair in Pompe Disease

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2028

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Ulm (Germany) · 2011 Ph.D.
Nicolaus Copernicus University (Poland) · 2007 M.S.