Zahra Safaei

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT ZAHRA SAFAEI

This is Zahra Safaei, senior embryologist at CCRM, New York City, New York, previous post-doctoral researcher at Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA. I have been Clinical Embryologist, lab Director at Arak IVF center, Markazi Province, Iran and obtained Ph.D. in Reproductive Biology at Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, Iran.During my Postdoctoral scholar Fellows, I have learned somatic cell nuclear transfer and enucleation and some experience in stem cell culture, some basic methods of FISH and ICC.During my Ph.D. thesis, I have focused on the mitochondrial biogenesis and function in granulosa cells of the PCOS mouse model. I have worked on the BALB/C mice and examined the effect of vitamin D3 on mitochondrial biogenesis and function through the MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway in the PCOS mouse model. I have also taken part in the apoptosis project in human PCOS granulosa cells. We have published our data in JCP and IJFS journals.During Ph.D, I have also overseas experience in Innsbruck, Austria for fellowship courses in Prof. Dr. Gnaiger lab (mitochondrial Physiology group) and in Dr. Zech Lab (IVF clinic) from October 2017 till April 2018 (detailed in the attached CV). I have also been responsible to do a collaboration project about sperm mitochondria between Prof. Dr. Gnaiger lab and Dr. Zech lab, Innsbruck, Austria.I have also been a Faculty member of Urmia University of Medical Sciences, College of Nursing and Midwifery, Urmia, Iran (detailed in the attached CV).As a clinical Embryologist, I have learned Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) along with molecular methods (Cell Culture, Real Time-PCR, Western Blotting) of my thesis. I have worked as a Junior Embryologist at infertility treatment center (Akbarabadi Hospital). Accordingly, I am well experienced at ART methods like Sperm preparation, Oocyte Pick up (OPu), denudation and dissection, IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) and Cryopreservation of Sperm, oocyte and embryo.