Dr. Arezoo Jahani-Asl, a Kurdish woman scientist from Mahabad, is making significant contributions to neuroscience and cancer research, with work that could open new possibilities for treating one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
Born in Mahabad, Dr. Jahani-Asl pursued her scientific education in Canada. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto, followed by master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Ottawa. She later completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School.
Today, Dr. Jahani-Asl is an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, where she leads a research team investigating glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant forms of brain cancer.
Her research has attracted international attention, particularly for identifying the OSMR receptor as a promising potential therapeutic target. This discovery could contribute to the development of more effective approaches for treating glioblastoma, a disease that remains extremely difficult to treat.
Dr. Jahani-Asl’s research has been published in several highly regarded international scientific journals, including Nature Neuroscience, Cell Reports, and Nature Communications, highlighting the global significance of her work.
Her scientific journey from Mahabad to some of the world’s leading research institutions stands as an inspiring example of Kurdish achievement in science and medicine. Through her work in neuroscience and cancer research, Dr. Jahani-Asl continues to contribute to the global effort to better understand and treat devastating diseases of the brain.