Purna Joshi

Purna Joshi

Assistant Professor - Biological Sciences

Professional Preparation

Postdoctoral Fellow - Stem cells & cancer
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - 2021
PhD - Stem cell biology
University of Toronto - 2012
MSc - Developmental biology
University of Toronto - 2005
BSc (Hons) - Pathobiology
University of Toronto - 2003

Research Areas

Our research explores the fate and function of epithelial and mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells and niche mechanisms during development, tissue regeneration and cancer. We use a variety of in vivo and in vitro techniques including mouse models, organoid systems, lineage tracing, high resolution imaging, patient-derived xenografts, stem cell assays and single cell analyses to study stem and progenitor cell dynamics at the cellular and molecular level. Our core vision is to build new knowledge on highly plastic stem cell lineages in mammalian tissues that can be leveraged to generate innovative cancer prevention/treatment strategies and regenerative therapies.



Publications

PDGFRα+ stromal adipocyte progenitors transition into epithelial cells during lobulo-alveologenesis in the murine mammary gland 2019 - Journal Article
RANKL/RANK control Brca1 mutation- . 2016 - Journal Article
Progesterone and Synthetic Progestin Controversies--Reply. 2015 - Journal Article
Progesterone Exposure and Breast Cancer Risk: Understanding the Biological Roots. 2015 - Journal Article
RANK Signaling Amplifies WNT-Responsive Mammary Progenitors through R-SPONDIN1. 2015 - Journal Article
A Progesterone-CXCR4 Axis Controls Mammary Progenitor Cell Fate in the Adult Gland. 2015 - Journal Article
PKA signaling drives mammary tumorigenesis through Src. 2014 - Journal Article
Fully interlocking: a story of teamwork among breast epithelial cells. 2014 - Journal Article

Awards

Faculty Rising STARs Award - The University of Texas System [2021]
Postdoctoral Fellowship - Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation [2016]
Stuart Alan Hoffman PhD Recognition Award - University of Toronto [2013]
PhD Fellowship - Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation [2013]
Terry Fox Foundation Studentship - Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute [2011]
Dr. Rajalakshmi S. Dittakavi and Dr. Prema M. Rao Graduate Award - University of Toronto [2007]
Graduate Fellowship - Univerisity of Toronto [2006]
General Motors Women in Science and Mathematics Award - University of Toronto [2002]
Life Science Research Award - University of Toronto [2002]

Appointments

Assistant Professor of Stem cell & Cancer Biology
The University of Texas at Dallas [2021–Present]

News Articles

Meet the Newest Group of Tenured, Tenure-Track Faculty at UT Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas welcomed 25 new tenured and tenure-track faculty members in 2021, with many of them joining the University this fall.