Diana Bhatt

Diana Bhatt studies the relationship between obesity-driven adipose estrogen production via aromatase overexpression and post-menopausal breast cancer risk and outcomes. Her research demonstrated that adipose tissue aromatase expression is strongly upregulated in obese women, particularly in breast adipose tissue, creating a local estrogen-rich microenvironment that promotes estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. She has characterized how crown-like structures around dying adipocytes drive aromatase expression through COX-2 and PGE2 signaling. Her work informed the use of aromatase inhibitors as breast cancer prevention agents in obese post-menopausal women.