Farheen

Shaikh

PhD

Biography:

Dr. Farheen Shaikh is originally from India, where she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biotechnology from the University of Mumbai. She began her research career as a Research Associate at a pharmaceutical company, which led to her growing interest in immunology and molecular biology. In 2019, she relocated to the United States to pursue a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Molecular Medicine at Washington State University. Her doctoral work focused on the TWEAK/Fn14 axis and its role in TNF-α-mediated rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis and resistance to anti-TNF therapy.

Dr. Shaikh’s contributions during her Ph.D. were recognized with the WSU Chancellor’s Legacy Award for her leadership and commitment to the University and the broader community. She was also awarded the Rheumatology Research Foundation Preceptorship in 2021 and received the Best Poster Award at the ACR Knowledge Exchange in 2022.

Currently, Dr. Shaikh is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Tomas Mustelin’s lab at the University of Washington, where her research investigates the molecular mechanisms of neutrophil citrullination and its implications in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.