Dr. Neda Keyhanvar has always been fascinated about how biology can be reprogrammed—from gene editing and stem cells to how our tissues age over time. She got her B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from AUTM, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. in Medical Biotechnology at GOUMS and TBZMED, where she started playing with the idea that cells feel their surroundings—her first deep dive into mechanobiology.

At UCSF, Neda’s postdoc journey has spanned multiple cutting-edge fields, from epitranscriptomic and CRISPR-based genome editing to functional genomics and stem cell differentiation. In her first postdoc, she helped build split-GFP and CRISPRi screening systems to track RNA methylation in human stem cells.

Now, as part of the BAKAR Aging Research Institute, she’s on a mission to figure out how mechanical forces affect fibroblasts shape aging and immune system decline. She uses everything from fancy transgenic mouse models to single-cell sequencing to unravel these mysteries.

With over a decade of hands-on lab experience, Neda has become a pro at viral transduction, gene editing, cell culture, stem cell behavior, live-cell imaging, nucleofection, and single-cell workflows. She loves working in collaborative teams, mentoring future scientists, and geeking out over new experimental tricks.

Outside the lab, Neda is just as creative! she dreams of reviving her handmade soap business, loves getting lost in the meditative tones of her handpan, and never misses a chance to walk or run along the bay on a sunny Sunday. And if you're ever down to chat about biotech over a strong cup of coffee—she's all in.