Soma Dash

Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
The RNA Institute
Assistant Professor Soma Dash

Contact

LS 1039
518-591-8832
[email protected]
Education

PhD, University of Delaware

Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Raipur, India

About

Learn more about Soma Dash's The Dash Lab.

Research

Research Interests

Areas of Interest:

  • Developmental and Molecular Biology
  • Craniofacial Development
  • Transcription and post-transcription gene regulation

Craniofacial anomalies are among the most visible and medically complex congenital conditions, affecting a child’s breathing, feeding, speech, vision, and neurological development from the earliest stages of life. Beyond the immediate medical concerns, these conditions often require multiple surgeries, long-term therapies, and continuous monitoring throughout childhood. The physical, emotional, and social challenges can be profound, for both children and their families, making early diagnosis, improved treatment strategies, and a deeper understanding of the root causes essential.

At The Dash Lab, we work to address these challenges at their foundation. Our research focuses on the cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms that guide craniofacial development. Through developmental biology, advanced imaging, and genetic approaches, our work strives to inform the next generation of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Ultimately, our goal is to contribute scientific insights that help reduce the burden on affected children and improve long-term clinical outcomes.

Publications
  1. Modelski M., Menlah G., Wang Y., Dash S., Wu K., Galileo D.S., and Martin-DeLeon P.A. (2014) Hyaluronidase 2: A Novel Germ Cell Hyaluronidase with Epididymal Expression and Functional Roles in Mammalian Sperm. Biology of Reproduction; 91(5):109 1-11. View in: Pubmed
  2. Smith M.A., Michael S.R., Aravindan G. R., Dash S., Shah I., Galileo D.S., Martin-DeLeon P.A. (2015) Anatase Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Mice: Evidence for Induced Structural and Functional Sperm Defects after Short-, but not Long-, term Exposure. Asian Journal of Andrology; 17(2):261-8. View in: Pubmed
  3. Dash S., Dang C.A., Beebe D.C., Lachke S.A. (2015) Deficiency of the RNA binding protein caprin2 causes lens defects and features of peters anomaly. Development Dynamics; 244(10):1313-27. View in: Pubmed
  4. Agrawal S.A., Anand D., Siddam A.D., Kakrana A., Dash S., Scheiblin D.A., Dang C.A., Terrell A.M., Waters S.M., Singh A., Motohashi H., Yamamoto M., Lachke S.A. (2015) Compound mouse mutants of bZIP transcription factors Mafg and Mafk reveal a regulatory network of non-crystallin genes associated with cataract. Human Genetics; 134(7):717-35. View in: Pubmed
  5. Srivastava R., Budak G., Dash S., Lachke S.A., Janga S.C. (2017) Transcriptome analysis of developing lens reveals abundance of novel transcripts and extensive splicing alterations. Scientific Reports; 7(1):115732. View in: Pubmed
  6. Budak G., Dash S., Srivastava R., Lachke S.A., Janga S.C. (2018) Express: A database of transcriptome profiles encompassing known and novel transcripts across multiple development stages in eye tissues. Experimental Eye Research; 168:57-66. View in: Pubmed
  7. Dash S., Brastorm L.K., Patel S.D., Scott C.A., Slusarksi D. C., Lachke S.A. (2020) The master transcription factor SOX2, mutated in anophthalmia/microphthalmia, is post-transcriptionally regulated by the conserved RNA-binding protein RBM24 in vertebrate eye development. Human Molecular Genetics; 29(4):591-604 View in: Pubmed
    *Featured on the cover
  8. Barnum C.E., Saai S.A., Patel S.D., Cheng C., Anand D., Xu X., Dash S., Siddam A.D., Glazewski L., Paglione E., Polson S., Chuma S., Mason R.W., Wei, S., Batish M., Fowler V.M., Lachke S.A. (2020) The Tudor-domain Protein TDRD7, Mutated in Congenital Cataract, Controls the Heat Shock Protein HSPB1 (HSP27) and Lens Fiber Cell Morphology. Human Molecular Genetics; 29(12):2076-2097. View in: Pubmed
    *Featured on the cover
  9. Dash S. †, Bhatt S. †, Sandell L. L., Seidel C., Ahn Y., Krumlauf R., Trainor P.A. (2020) The Mediator subunit, Med23 is required for embryonic survival and regulation of canonical WNT signaling during cranial ganglia development. Frontiers in Physiology; 11: 531933. View in: Pubmed
    † - Equal contribution
  10. Dash S., Bhatt S., Terrazas-Falcon K., Sandell L. L., Trainor P.A. (2021) Med23 Regulates Sox9 Expression during Craniofacial Development. Journal of Dental Research; 100(4):406-414. View in: Pubmed
  11. Terrazas-Falcon K. †, Watt K.E.N. †*, Dash S. †*, Zhao R., Sakai D., Moore E. L., Fitriasari S., Childers M., Sardiu M.E., Swanson S., Tsuchiya D., Unruh J., Bugarinovic G., Li L., Shiang R., Achilleos A., Dixon M.J., Dixon J., Trainor, P.A.* (2022) Dynamic regulation and requirement for ribosomal RNA transcription during mammalian development. PNAS; 119(31):e2116974119. View in: Pubmed
    † - Equal contribution, * - co-corresponding author
  12. Dash S.*, Trainor P.A*. (2022) Nucleolin regulation of zebrafish craniofacial development. Development; 149(12):dev200349. View in: Pubmed
    * - co-corresponding author
  13. Dash S.#*, Lamb M.C.#, Lange, J.J., McKinney, M.C., Tsuchiya D., Guo F., Zhao X., Corbin T.J., Kirkman E., Delventhal K., Moore E.L., McKinney S., Shiang R., Trainor P.A.* (2023) rRNA transcription is integral to phase separation and maintenance of nucleolar structure. Accepted in PLOS Genetics (https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.14.516489)
    # - Equal contribution * - co-corresponding author

 

Review Papers

  1. Dash S., Siddam A.D., Barnum C.E., Janga S.C., Lachke S.A. (2016) RNA Binding Proteins in Eye Development and Disease: Implication of Conserved RNA Granule Components. WIREs RNA, 7(4):527-557. View in: Pubmed
    *Featured on the cover
  2. Dash S., Trainor P.A. (2020) The Development, Patterning and Evolution of Neural Crest Cell Differentiation Into Cartilage and Bone. Bone; 137:115409 View in: Pubmed