Tanya Stoyanova

Tanya Stoyanova is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, with dual appointments in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology and Department of Urology. She specializes in Nuclear Medicine, Radiochemistry, and Theranostics, focusing on cancer early detection and targeted therapies for late-stage malignancies.

• Education:
  • B.S. in Ecology and Protection of the Environment (Technical University of Varna, Bulgaria)
  • B.S. in Biology (University of Kansas, USA)
  • Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics (University of Illinois, Chicago)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowships in Stem Cell and Cancer Biology (University of California, Los Angeles)

Research Interests: The Stoyanova lab pioneers innovative approaches to combat prostate and epithelial cancers through:

• Targeted Therapies: Identifying novel therapeutic targets and small molecule inhibitors
• Antibody-Based Strategies: Developing precision therapies for metastatic cancers
• Combination Therapies: Enhancing FDA-approved treatments with experimental agents
• Biomarker Discovery: Focusing on tissue, blood, and urine-based markers like Trop2 and UCHL1
• Imaging Innovations: Advancing PET imaging for early detection and treatment monitoring

Research Trends: Analysis of her 15 most recent articles (2022-2024) reveals a focus on prostate cancer (especially neuroendocrine phenotypes), metastasis mechanisms, therapeutic biomarkers (Trop2, UCHL1, ACAA2), 3D cancer modeling, and immunoimaging. Her work spans molecular biology, radiology, and bioengineering applications.

Lab Members:

• Shiqin Liu (Faculty)
• Ziyi Chen (Postdoctoral Scholar)
• Alifiani Bonita Hartono (Postdoctoral Scholar)
• Michelle Shen (Research Assistant)
• Chris Massey (Graduate Student)
• Francisco Solano (Graduate Student)
• Diana Argiles Castillo (Graduate Student)
• Shruti Sharma (Graduate Student)
• Undergraduate Researchers: Kewei Le, Nathan Min, Bhavya Pandey, Sidharth Paparaju, Khwaish Sethiya, Trinity Tran

Collaborative Networks: Dr. Stoyanova's work intersects with proteomic profiling, biofabrication, nanotechnologies, and immunotherapy, collaborating with experts in radiology, molecular imaging, and bioengineering across institutions.