Dr. Divij Verma is a scientist whose work centers on understanding how environmental exposures and inflammation disrupt stem-cell function and contribute to clonal hematopoiesis, myeloid malignancies, and prostate cancer. His scientific path began with foundational research training in Germany, where he developed an early interest in molecular mechanisms driving cancer and stem-cell biology. He later expanded this work in the United States, integrating environmental health, hematopoietic stem-cell biology, and translational oncology.

Dr. Verma’s research program combines mechanistic studies, in vivo modeling, and human cohort analysis to uncover how toxic environmental stress such as, particulate matter and burn-pit exposure, accelerates biological aging and promotes malignant evolution. His lab investigates inflammatory pathways, DNA-damage responses, and proteostasis imbalance as shared drivers across blood and solid tumors, with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets that restore tissue resilience.

Through interdisciplinary collaborations and a commitment to translational impact, Dr. Verma leads a fully funded research program aimed at improving our understanding of environmentally driven cancers and developing strategies to protect vulnerable exposed populations. Apart from research, Dr. Verma enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and drinking lots of coffee!