Natasha Baker

Natasha Baker PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, joining the faculty in July 2019. She earned her PhD in Cell Biology from the University of East Anglia (2008) and completed post-doctoral work at the NIH and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Her research spans stem cell biology with a focus on caveolin-1's role in adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells within 3D scaffolds, as well as pedagogical research investigating effective teaching methodologies. She currently directs biological sciences courses for dental hygiene students and co-directs molecular and cell biology courses for predoctoral students.

Her 2021 publication demonstrates how soft biomaterials enhance adipogenesis through the CAV1-YAP signaling axis, providing insights for adipose tissue engineering.