Zehra Demir

Zehra E. F. Demir is a fifth-year PhD Candidate and a member of the Sheybani Lab in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia. Her graduate research centers on developing rational therapeutic paradigms that combine focused ultrasound (FUS) with myeloid-targeted immunotherapies for breast cancer, as well as uncovering biomarkers to forecast responder and non-responder stratification using theranostic approaches. She is a recipient of the Victor Orphan Graduate Endowed Fellowship, Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center Sharon Davie Fellowship, John T. Casteen II Diversity-Equity-Inclusion Leadership Award, and a trainee of the NIH T32 Cancer Biology Training Program and the Cancer Center Trainee Fellowship. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies at UVA, Zehra received her BS at Virginia Tech in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering with minors in biomedical engineering and biology, graduating with Cum Laude distinctions. In her free time, Zehra enjoys hiking, weightlifting, and traveling.