ARIANA RAHMAN

Introduction

Ariana Rahman is an immunology and computational Biology researcher.

As a Research Intern at Mayo Clinic (Fall 2024–present) Investigated persistent endometriosis pain by studying interactions between immune cells and nerves; used multiplex protein imaging to measure immune-cell clusters and developed a hypothesis linking immune suppression, antibody signaling, and nerve growth; manuscript under review at the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AJOG).To determine whether glioma, a type of brain tumor, changed over time or varied by location, combined gene-expression data from 130 MRI-mapped biopsies across 12 patients; found greater change over time than by location.Assessed whether irregular night shifts increase migraine risk by compiling data from 13 studies; found 61% higher odds and contributed to methods, coordination, and review of a 2025 Frontiers in Neurology article.

Ariana Developed GenoRefine, a new deep-learning method that helps researchers distinguish cell populations after combining single-cell datasets from different studies while preserving meaningful biological differences while working as a Research Assistant Intern at Stanford University School of Medicine (Fall 2023–present) First-author manuscript under review at IEEE Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (TCBB). Designed a new computational framework that identifies rare cell populations across cancers and maps how they interact to suppress T-cell attack and contribute to immunotherapy resistance, prioritizing potential drug targets; first-author paper accepted for the 2026 IEEE Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS) proceedings.

At Pfizer, Research & Development Intern Summers 2025 & 2026 Tampa, 2026:

Supported two Phase III metastatic breast-cancer trials, including FourLight-3 and prepared data for regulatory review; built two Microsoft Copilot agents for study-information retrieval.

At Pfizer La Jolla, 2025:

Analyzed voxelotor trial data with Python neural networks and Neo4j/Cypher, linking doses, laboratory results, and medications to adverse events and vaso-occlusive crises.

Earlier, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA (Summer 2024)

Investigated how mutations in ZAP-70, a T-cell signaling kinase, affect immune signaling and tumor-cell killing in engineered CAR-T cells, generating evidence to guide cancer-fighting immune-cell design.

As a Undergraduate Researcher at the ASU Biodesign Institute (Spring 2022–Spring 2023):

Developed deep-learning models combining molecular data types to predict breast-cancer recurrence; published a first-author IEEE CBMS 2023 paper; built a machine-learning classifier for triple-negative breast-cancer subtypes.

As a Sci-Tech Reporter The State Press, ASU (Fall 2025):

Published six features on AI, data science, engineering, crisis-response tools, and tribal data sovereignty, translating research and interviews for general readers.

As a Bengali–English Interpreter Language Connection, ASU (2023–present):

Provide professional Bengali-English interpretation across five court proceedings and four social-service encounters, helping community members communicate accurately and navigate legal and social-service systems.

Across these projects, Ariana has cultivated a translational mindset that integrates computational insight with molecular experimentation.

Her clinical and service experiences reinforce the human dimension of her research. As a Certified Nursing Assistant at Shahara Clinic, she supports underserved patients through intake and triage, gaining insight into the barriers patients face while navigating complex health systems. Her previous role as a medical scribe at St. Joseph’s Hospital exposed her to the diagnostic reasoning that connects biological understanding with clinical care.

Through the American Cancer Society, Ariana advocates for equitable access to screening and survivorship programs, complementing her scientific focus on cancer health disparities.