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Biography
Dr. Tushar Desai specializes clinically in the treatment of general pulmonary and Interstitial Lung Diseases like Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). He has practiced pulmonary medicine since 2002.
Dr. Desai conducts basic and translational research on lung stem cells that repair and regenerate the lung after injury, and their role in diseases like IPF, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and lung adenocarcinoma. His lab also studies the molecular signals that regulate lung stem cell activity, and how the signals can be manipulated to restore their activity. He participates in research involving gene correction of CFTR in lung stem cells from patients with Cystic fibrosis followed by autologous stem cell transplantation to provide lifelong restoration of physiological activity.
Dr. Desai conducts basic and translational research on lung stem cells that repair and regenerate the lung after injury, and their role in diseases like IPF, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and lung adenocarcinoma. His lab also studies the molecular signals that regulate lung stem cell activity, and how the signals can be manipulated to restore their activity. He participates in research involving gene correction of CFTR in lung stem cells from patients with Cystic fibrosis followed by autologous stem cell transplantation to provide lifelong restoration of physiological activity.
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Professional Summary
Professional Education
- Fellowship: Boston University Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship (2002) MA
- Residency: University of Michigan Health System Internal Medicine Residency (1998) MI
- MD, MPH, Tufts University School of Medicine (1995)
- BA, Amherst College, Psychology (1991)
Honors & Awards
- Elected Member, American Society for Clinical Investigation (2019)
- House Officer Research Award, University of Michigan Hospitals, Department of Internal Medicine (1998)
- Lung Force Gala Honoree, American Lung Association (2018)
- Robert A. and Gertrude T. Hudson Endowed Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine (2020)
- Robert Dawson Evans Fellow Excellence in Teaching Award, Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine (2000)
- Stanford Medical Student Teaching Recognition, Stanford University School of Medicine (2011-2014)
- Woods Family Endowed Faculty Scholar in Pediatric Translational Medicine, Stanford Child Health Research Institute (2016-2021)
- Worth F. Bloom M25 Prize, Tufts University School of Medicine (1995)
Administrative Appointments
- Director of Graduate Studies, Stem Cell Biology PhD program (2021 - Present)
- Director of Translational Lung Biology, Department of Medicine (2020 - Present)
Publications
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Growth factors in lung development and disease: friends or foe?
Desai, T. J., & Cardoso, W. V. (2002). Growth factors in lung development and disease: friends or foe? Respiratory Research, 3, 2-? -
Retinoic acid selectively regulates Fgf10 expression and maintains cell identity in the prospective lung field of the developing foregut
Desai, T. J., Malpel, S., Flentke, G. R., Smith, S. M., & Cardoso, W. V. (2004). Retinoic acid selectively regulates Fgf10 expression and maintains cell identity in the prospective lung field of the developing foregut. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, 273(2), 402–415. -
Distinct roles for retinoic acid receptors alpha and beta in early lung morphogenesis
Desai, T. J., Chen, F., Lu, J. M., Qian, J., Niederreither, K., Dolle, P., … Cardoso, W. V. (2006). Distinct roles for retinoic acid receptors alpha and beta in early lung morphogenesis. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, 291(1), 12–24. -
COPD: Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, and Treatment
COPD: Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, and Treatment. (2004). Baum's Textbook of Pulmonary Diseases (Eds: James D. Crapo, Jeffrey Glassroth, Joel Karlinsky, and Talmadge E. King Jr.), 7th ed. -
Stem cells: Differentiated cells in a back-up role.
Desai, T. J., & Krasnow, M. A. (2013). Stem cells: Differentiated cells in a back-up role. Nature, 503(7475), 204–5. -
Reconstructing lineage hierarchies of the distal lung epithelium using single-cell RNA-seq.
Treutlein, B., Brownfield, D. G., Wu, A. R., Neff, N. F., Mantalas, G. L., Espinoza, F. H., … Quake, S. R. (2014). Reconstructing lineage hierarchies of the distal lung epithelium using single-cell RNA-seq. Nature, 509(7500), 371–75. -
Alveolar progenitor and stem cells in lung development, renewal and cancer.
Desai, T. J., Brownfield, D. G., & Krasnow, M. A. (2014). Alveolar progenitor and stem cells in lung development, renewal and cancer. Nature, 507(7491), 190–94. -
Cellular mechanisms of alveolar pathology in childhood interstitial lung diseases: current insights from mouse genetics
Kuo, C. S., & Desai, T. J. (2015). Cellular mechanisms of alveolar pathology in childhood interstitial lung diseases: current insights from mouse genetics. CURRENT OPINION IN PEDIATRICS, 27(3), 341–47. -
Keeping it together: Pulmonary alveoli are maintained by a hierarchy of cellular programs.
Logan, C. Y., & Desai, T. J. (2015). Keeping it together: Pulmonary alveoli are maintained by a hierarchy of cellular programs. BioEssays , 37(9), 1028–37. -
Trinucleotide repeat containing 6c (TNRC6c) is essential for microvascular maturation during distal airspace sacculation in the developing lung.
Guo, H., Kazadaeva, Y., Ortega, F. E., Manjunath, N., & Desai, T. J. (2017). Trinucleotide repeat containing 6c (TNRC6c) is essential for microvascular maturation during distal airspace sacculation in the developing lung. Developmental Biology, 430(1), 214–223. -
Automated cell type classification in intact tissues by single-cell molecular profiling.
Nagendran, M., Riordan, D. P., Harbury, P. B., & Desai, T. J. (2018). Automated cell type classification in intact tissues by single-cell molecular profiling. ELife, 7. -
Single-cell Wnt signaling niches maintain stemness of alveolar type 2 cells.
Nabhan, A., Brownfield, D. G., Harbury, P. B., Krasnow, M. A., & Desai, T. J. (2018). Single-cell Wnt signaling niches maintain stemness of alveolar type 2 cells. Science (New York, N.Y.). -
An atlas of the aging lung mapped by single cell transcriptomics and deep tissue proteomics.
Angelidis, I., Simon, L. M., Fernandez, I. E., Strunz, M., Mayr, C. H., Greiffo, F. R., … Schiller, H. B. (2019). An atlas of the aging lung mapped by single cell transcriptomics and deep tissue proteomics. Nature Communications, 10(1), 963. -
High-Efficiency, Selection-free Gene Repair in Airway Stem Cells from Cystic Fibrosis Patients Rescues CFTR Function in Differentiated Epithelia.
Vaidyanathan, S., Salahudeen, A. A., Sellers, Z. M., Bravo, D. T., Choi, S. S., Batish, A., … Porteus, M. H. (2019). High-Efficiency, Selection-free Gene Repair in Airway Stem Cells from Cystic Fibrosis Patients Rescues CFTR Function in Differentiated Epithelia. Cell Stem Cell. -
Niche Cells and Signals that Regulate Lung Alveolar Stem Cells In Vivo.
Juul, N. H., Stockman, C. A., & Desai, T. J. (2020). Niche Cells and Signals that Regulate Lung Alveolar Stem Cells In Vivo. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. -
SARS-CoV-2 entry factors are highly expressed in nasal epithelial cells together with innate immune genes
Sungnak, W., Huang, N., Becavin, C., Berg, M., Queen, R., Litvinukova, M., … Barnes, J. L. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 entry factors are highly expressed in nasal epithelial cells together with innate immune genes. NATURE MEDICINE. -
Progenitor identification and SARS-CoV-2 infection in human distal lung organoids.
Salahudeen, A. A., Choi, S. S., Rustagi, A., Zhu, J., van Unen, V., de la O, S. M., … Kuo, C. J. (2020). Progenitor identification and SARS-CoV-2 infection in human distal lung organoids. Nature. -
Developmental Insights into Lung Cancer
Desai, T. J. (2021). Developmental Insights into Lung Cancer. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY, VOL 5, 2021, 5, 351–69. -
Lung stem cells and therapy for cystic fibrosis
Vaidyanathan, S., McCarra, M., & Desai, T. J. (2021). Lung stem cells and therapy for cystic fibrosis. (M. Z. Nikolic & B. L. M. Hogan, Eds.), Lung Stem Cells in Development, Health and Disease (ERS Monograph) (pp. 306–321). -
Alveolar cell fate selection and lifelong maintenance of AT2 cells by FGF signaling.
Brownfield, D. G., de Arce, A. D., Ghelfi, E., Gillich, A., Desai, T. J., & Krasnow, M. A. (2022). Alveolar cell fate selection and lifelong maintenance of AT2 cells by FGF signaling. Nature Communications, 13(1), 7137.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.
Practice Locations
Chest Clinic in Palo Alto Stanford, CA
Stanford, CA
Chest Clinic in Palo Alto
300 Pasteur Drive, 1st Floor, Room A175
Stanford , CA 94305
Make An Appointment More Clinic Information » Getting Here »Patient Reviews
(15 reviews)
All care excellent I would gladly recommend all.
Dr. Desai is an excellent doctor. He always listen. I like him also.
Dr. Desai is an outstanding clinician Dr. Desai is a brilliant researcher who is very compassionate to his patients.
Outstanding pulmonary physician.
Everyone cares so much.
Dr. Lam - excellent.
Very good experience.
Dr. Desai if properly funded will receive a Nobel Prize in lung stem cell research and will save thousands of lives of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis patients. Dr. Desai is an outstanding clinician and very compassionate.
Dr. Desai is always outstanding. He even called me at home to discuss test results. Outstanding pt.-doctor relationship.
Yes I would recommend anytime.
Outstanding.
I like Dr. Desai very much he seems to care. His nurse Virginia is great.
Excellent. Dr. Desai - outstanding expect him to win Nobel Peace Prize.
Dr. Desai is brilliant and compassionate. I expect him to get a NOBEL PRIZE in lung stem cells.
Dr. Desai is always for informative and explains everything in terms easily understood. He is a wonderful doctor & I like him very much. Very caring.
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