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Purushothama Rao Tata

Associate Professor of Cell Biology
Cell Biology

Overview


Lung regeneration
Lung stem cells
Cell plasticity
Organoid models
Lung Fibrosis
Single Cell Biology

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Cell Biology · 2024 - Present Cell Biology, Basic Science Departments
Director of the Duke Regeneration Center · 2025 - Present Cell Biology, Basic Science Departments
Associate Professor in Medicine · 2024 - Present Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Medicine
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2016 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers
Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center · 2021 - Present Duke Regeneration Center, Basic Science Departments

In the News


Published November 15, 2023
Study Provides Clues to Developing Better Treatments for Lung Damage
Published July 20, 2022
Tata to Receive International Society for Regenerative Biology Rising Star Award
Published November 19, 2020
NIH-Directors blog- Mini-Lungs in a Lab Dish Mimic Early COVID-19 Infection

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Recent Publications


New approaches to uncover COPD pathobiology and develop therapies.

Journal Article JCI Insight · February 23, 2026 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the third leading cause of global mortality in 2011 but receives limited attention and research funding. This Review describes the current knowledge on COPD risk factors, including genetic and epigenetic det ... Full text Link to item Cite

Correction to: Stem cell migration drives lung repair in living mice (Developmental Cell, (2024), 59, 7, (830-840.e4), (S1534580724000741), 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.02.003)

Journal Article Developmental Cell · January 1, 2026 (Developmental Cell 59, 830–840.e1–e4; April 8, 2024) In the STAR Methods section of the original article, in the "Intravital imaging" subsection, reference 28 (Rock and Hogan, 2011) was incorrectly cited twice in place of reference 27 (Entenberg et al., 2 ... Full text Cite

Mechanosensitive genomic enhancers potentiate the cellular response to matrix stiffness.

Journal Article Science · December 11, 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. In this study, we combined ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Role of Protein S-Palmitoylation in TGFbeta Signaling and Fibrotic Lung Disease

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2030

Molecular control of a novel transitional cell state in alveolar regeneration

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2029

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

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

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Ulm (Germany) · 2011 Ph.D.