Dr. Sasha Shafikhani

Biography

Sasha Shafikhani is a Professor and Director of Microbiome Research at the University of California, Davis, in the Department of Dermatology. Armed with a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Shafikhani’s research is rooted in cellular microbiology, specifically focusing on the mechanisms by which pathogens cause disease and how host cells respond to these infections. His laboratory investigates the virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a pathogen known to cause serious wound infections, particularly in diabetic patients. His current projects aim to understand the dysfunctional mechanisms that lead to increased susceptibility to infection in diabetic wounds, which often complicate healing. In addition, Dr. Shafikhani’s team utilizes bacterial toxins as molecular tools to probe essential cellular processes in mammalian cells, including cytokinesis and apoptosis. He is recognized in the field, with several publications in prestigious journals detailing his findings on the immune responses in infected wounds and the cellular signaling involved in these processes.

Research Interests