Priyanka Verma, PhD

Priyanka Verma, PhD

Assistant Professor

Address:
Division of Oncology
Mail Stop 8056-0012-08
Washington University
660 South Euclid Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110

Room 807, McDonnell Medical Sciences Building (lab)
Ph: 314-286-1916 (lab)

Research Interests
  • DNA repair and replication
  • Genomic instability in cancers
  • Oncogenes
  • BRCA-mutation
Research

We are intrigued with the conundrum that while DNA replication and repair are essential for viability, cancer cells with defects in these pathways evolve mechanisms to ensure rapid proliferation. Unravelling this mystery offers possibilities to understand mechanisms that lead to genomic instability and identify vulnerabilities that can catalyze the development of improved therapeutic regimens.

The research questions begin addressed in the lab are:

(1) What dictates cellular responses to chemotherapy targeting DNA repair pathways?
(2) How do cancer cells deal with roadblocks to replication?
(3) What are the endogenous DNA lesions in BRCA-mutant cancer cells?

Biosketch

Education

  • 2012: PhD in Biochemistry and Microbiology, National Institute of Immunology, India
  • 2007: MSc in Biotechnology, University of Pune, India
  • 2005: BSc in Chemistry and Botany, University of Lucknow, India

Post-Graduate Training

  • 2021-2015: Postdoctoral Researcher (Cancer Biology), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2015-2013: Postdoctoral Associate (Chemistry and Cell Biology), The Rockefeller University, New York, NY

Academic Positions

  • present-2021: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

Honors & Awards

  • 2021: Intersections Science Fellow, Yale School of Medicine, USA
  • 2021-2020: Ovarian Cancer Translational Center of Excellence Award, University of Pennsylvania, USA
  • 2019-2017: Ann and Sol Schreiber Mentored Investigator Award, OCRA Alliance, USA
  • 2012-2007: Department of Biotechnology Research Fellowship, India
  • 2007: Awarded Gold Medal for securing highest score in Master’s Exams, University of Pune, India
  • 2007-2005: Department of Biotechnology Master’s Fellowship, India