Zahra Baninameh is a Biomedical & Biological Sciences (BBS) PhD student, the President, and the Peer-Mentor Program Coordinator of the BBS Graduate Student Society. She joined the Schaffer-Nishimura lab in the summer of 2024. Her scientific interests revolve around understanding the aging process and the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Prior to Cornell, she conducted full-time research at the Department of Neuroscience at the Mayo Clinic in Florida for almost three years. She studied a mitochondrial quality control pathway called PINK1-PRKN mitophagy in various organs of aging mice and developed sensitive biochemical assays. She enjoys a good book with a cup of tea and the sound of a rainy day, taking long walks in the city or nature, and spending quality time with her family and friends!
