Japneet Kaur
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Assistant Professor
We study how obesity and cancer alter the bone microenvironment to promote bone loss and tumor progression and identify targets to mitigate these effects.
372 Dawson Hall
305 Sanford Dr.
Athens, GA 30602
Education
| Degree | Field of Study | Institution | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Instructor | Cancer and Bone Biology | University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | 2026 |
| Postdoctoral Fellowship | Cancer and Bone Biology | University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | 2024 |
| Postdoctoral Fellowship | Aging & Endocrinology | Mayo Clinic | 2022 |
| PhD | Musculoskeletal Physiology | University of Oklahoma | 2019 |
| Bachelors and Masters | Physical Therapy (specialization: Orthopedics) | Punjabi University, India | 2015 |
Research
We study how cellular senescence within the bone microenvironment contributes to skeletal deterioration and cancer progression. Chronic conditions such as obesity and cancer, as well as cytotoxic therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation, can induce senescence in skeletal cells, producing a growth-arrested yet metabolically altered state that can reprogram the local bone microenvironment and impact disease progression. A central focus of our research is to understand how these senescence-associated metabolic changes promote bone loss and tumor progression, with a primary focus on bone metastatic cancers, particularly breast cancer. Building on this mechanistic work, we also aim to explore nutritional strategies, including senotherapeutic-adjacent dietary approaches, that may help prevent or mitigate these effects.
JOIN US! Currently looking for undergraduate and graduate students to join our group.
Awards
| Award Name | Awarded By | Year Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| John Haddad Young Investigator Award | Advances in Mineral Metabolism (AIMM), American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) | 2024 |
| Core Voucher Award | Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | 2024 |
| Best Postdoctoral Poster Award | Research Retreat, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | 2024 |
| ASBMR Most Outstanding Translational Abstract Award | American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) | 2023 |
| Young Investigator Award | Cancer and Bone Society | 2023 |
| Best Postdoctoral/Staff Presentation | Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | 2023 |
| Best Postdoctoral Poster Award | Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | 2023 |
| Early-stage investigator travel grant | American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) | 2022 |
| Provosts’ PhD Dissertation Award | University of Oklahoma | 2019 |
| Doctoral Scholar Award | American Kinesiology Association | 2019 |
| Travis Beck Memorial Scholarship | University of Oklahoma | 2019 |
| Early Investigator Award | Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health | 2019 |
| Robberson Research and Creative Endeavors Grant | University of Oklahoma | 2018 |
| Graduate Student Senate Research Grant | University of Oklahoma | 2018 |
| International Federation of Musculoskeletal Research Societies Travel Award | International Federation of Musculoskeletal Research Societies | 2017 |
Publications
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Tbz6NMIAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate