Members’ Labs

Aleksandra Tata, PhD

Assistant Professor
Division of Surgical Sciences
Department of Surgery
Duke University School of Medicine

Primary Research:

Our lab investigates the cellular and molecular pathways governing vascular regeneration and cell–cell crosstalk in the context of lung injury-repair and disease. We are particularly interested in how vascular networks regenerate, communicate, and contribute to rebuilding of a functional lung architecture. Using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, high-resolution imaging and lineage tracing mouse models, we aim to identify factors that drive alveolar regeneration and maintain vascular integrity. Our work also aims to understand how normal regenerative processes go awry, leading to lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, where endothelial dysfunction contributes to aberrant repair and vascular remodeling.

Laboratory web site URL:

https://medschool.duke.edu/profile/aleksandra-tata

Members of the Laboratory

Recent Publications

Madhurakkat Perikamana SK, Kumar V, Mogha P, Duncan L, Angel N, Tata A, Jabba SV, Jordt SE, Tata PR, Varghese S. Modeling functional responses to pollutant exposure using modular hydrogel supported vascularized alveolosphere-on-a-chip. Biomater Sci. 2025 Oct 21;13(21):6046-6057. doi: 10.1039/d5bm00552c.
Konkimalla A, Konishi S, Macadlo L, Kobayashi Y, Farino ZJ, Miyashita N, El Haddad L, Morowitz J, Barkauskas CE, Agarwal P, Souma T, ElMallah MK, Tata A*, Tata PR*. Transitional cell states sculpt tissue topology during lung regeneration. Cell Stem Cell. 2023 Nov 2;30(11):1486-1502.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.10.001.
Konkimalla A, Konishi S, Kobayashi Y, Kadur Lakshminarasimha Murthy P, Macadlo L, Mukherjee A, Elmore Z, Kim SJ, Pendergast AM, Lee PJ, Asokan A, Knudsen L, Bravo-Cordero JJ, Tata A*, Tata PR*. Multi-apical polarity of alveolar stem cells and their dynamics during lung development and regeneration. iScience. 2022 Sep 12;25(10):105114. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105114.