A woman with dark, curly hair wearing a blue turtleneck sweater, standing indoors with large, round white lamps in the background.

Nastaran Rezakhani, MS

Research Associate III | Nastaran.Rezakhani@seattlechildrens.org

Nastaran received her master’s degree in microbiology from Aarhus University in Denmark. She began working in the lab in 2008, focusing primarily on rodent malaria, before stepping away in 2013 to raise her two daughters. In 2021, she returned to the lab gaining expertise on both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.

With expertise in malaria liver-stage biology and Plasmodium transmission, Nastaran is a true team player, consistently supporting and elevating the work of her colleagues. Her technical proficiency, reliability, and infectious enthusiasm make her a cornerstone of the research environment, where she’s known for her ability to foster collaboration and innovation.

Outside the lab, she is out exploring the stunning hiking trails of the Pacific Northwest, skiing the slopes of Washington and British Columbia. Above all, she cherishes spending quality time her family and friends. 

Publications

  1. Winnicki, Anna C.; Dietrich, Melanie H.; Yeoh, Lee M.; Carias, Lenore L.; Roobsoong, Wanlapa; Drago, Chiara L.; Malachin, Alyssa N.; Redinger, Karli R.; Feufack-Donfack, Lionel Brice; Baldor, Lea; Jung, Nicolai C.; McLaine, Olivia S.; Skomorovska-Prokvolit, Yelenna; Orban, Agnes; Opi, D. Herbert; Kirtley, Payton; Nielson, Kiersey; Aleshnick, Maya; Zanghi, Gigliola; Rezakhani, Nastaran; Vaughan, Ashley M.; Wilder, Brandon K.; Sattabongkot, Jetsumon; Tham, Wai-Hong; Popovici, Jean; Beeson, James G.; Bosch, Jürgen; King, Christopher L. Potent AMA1-specific human monoclonal antibody against Plasmodium vivax Pre-erythrocytic and Blood Stages. Nature Communications 2024 

     

  2. Zanghí, Gigliola; Patel, Hardik; Smith, Jenny L.; Camargo, Nelly; Bae, Yeji; Hesping, Eva; Boddey, Justin A.; Venugopal, Kannan; Marti, Matthias; Flannery, Erika L.; Chuenchob, Vorada; Fishbaugher, Matthew E.; Mikolajczak, Sebastian A.; Roobsoong, Wanlapa; Sattabongkot, Jetsumon; Gupta, Priya; Pazzagli, Lucia; Rezakhani, Nastaran; Betz, William; Hayes, Kiera; Goswami, Debashree; Vaughan, Ashley M.; Kappe, Stefan H. I. Genome-wide gene expression profiles throughout human malaria parasite liver stage development in humanized mice. Nature Microbiology. 2025

  3. Mikolajczak SA, Vaughan AM, Kangwanrangsan N, Roobsoong W, Fishbaugher M, Yimamnuaychok N, Rezakhani N, Lakshmanan V, Singh N, Kaushansky A, Camargo N, Baldwin M, Lindner SE, Adams JH, Sattabongkot J, Kappe SH. Plasmodium vivax liver stage development and hypnozoite persistence in human liver-chimeric mice. Cell Host Microbe. 2015 Apr

  4. Kennedy M, Fishbaugher ME, Vaughan AM, Patrapuvich R, Boonhok R, Yimamnuaychok N, Rezakhani N, Metzger P, Ponpuak M, Sattabongkot J, Kappe SH, Hume JC, Lindner SE. A rapid and scalable density gradient purification method for Plasmodium sporozoites. Malar J. 2012 Dec

  5. Kaushansky A, Rezakhani N, Mann H, Kappe SH. Development of a quantitative flow cytometry-based assay to assess infection by Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2012 May

  6. Schwermer CU, Ferdelman TG, Stief P, Gieseke A, Rezakhani N, van Rijn J, de Beer D, Schramm A.. Effect of nitrate on sulfur transformations in sulfidogenic sludge of a marine aquaculture biofilter. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2010 Jun

  7. B.U. Krieger, C.U. Schwermer, N. Rezakhani, M.A. Horn, A. Gieseke, E. Cytryn, D. Minz, J. van Rijn, H.L.Drake and A. Schramm. Diversity of nitrate-reducing and denitrifying bacteria in a marine aquaculture biofilter and their response to sulphide. ISME-11 August 20-25, 2006 Vienna, Austria