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Mostafa Rahnama, PhD
Mostafa Rahnama, PhD
Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor
Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor
Dr. Rahnama is a molecular and computational biologist with a background primarily in microbial genetics and mycology. He joined Tennessee Tech University as a tenure track Assistant Professor in 2022.
Educational Background
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Kentucky, 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow, U.K. College of Medicine, 2019
Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology, University of Auckland
M.S. in Biotechnology, Isfahan University of Technology
B.S. in Biology, Shiraz University
Teaching
Fundamentals of Bioinformatics (BIOL 4993/5993)
Microbial Evolution (BIOL 4110/5110)
General Microbiology (BIOL 3200)
Mycology (BIOL 4770/6980)
In addition to his research and teaching duties, he serves as an editorial board member of Scientific Reports, Bio-Protocols, and Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (MPMI) journals.
Email Address: mrahnama@tntech.edu
Phone/Fax number: +1 (931) 372-3648
Current Graduate Students
Sahar Salimi
Sahar Salimi
PHD STUDENT
PHD STUDENT
Sahar is a Ph.D. candidate with a master's in mathematics and computational biology.
She has a background in programming languages such as Python, R, and Bash and is passionate to apply computer sciences to understand complex biological systems. In her thesis, she works on Magnaporthe oryzae and Fusarium spp. genome evolution and structure.
Astha Mishra
Astha Mishra
M.S. STUDENT
M.S. STUDENT
Astha is a master's student in biological sciences with a bachelor's degree in bioinformatics, and she joined the Rahnama lab in August 2024.
For her project, she is investigating the distribution of transposable elements in Magnaporthe oryzae, examining their impact on the fungus’s genetic diversity and adaptability.
Ari Mortensen
Ari Mortensen
M.S. STUDENT
M.S. STUDENT
Ari is a master's student in biology sciences and joined the Rahnama lab in August 2024.
In his project, he is working in the lab on a group of retrotransposon elements in Magnaporthe oryzae to investigate their importance in fungal adaptation and pathogenicity.
Brandon Hein
Brandon Hein
M.S. STUDENT
M.S. STUDENT
Brandon is a master's student in biology sciences and joined the Rahnama lab in May 2024.
In his project, he is focusing on investigating histone modifications and their impact on gene expression and cellular processes.
Justin King
Justin King
M.S. STUDENT
M.S. STUDENT
Justin is a master's student in biology sciences and joined the Rahnama lab in January 2026.
In his project, he is investigating the molecular mechanisms that regulate telomere maintenance in Magnaporthe oryzae.
Current Undergraduate Students
Ashley Mcdonald
Ashley Mcdonald
Macy Wilson
Macy Wilson
Former Lab Members
Aidan Thornton (Undergraduate Researcher)
Aidan Thornton (Undergraduate Researcher)
Kathryn Rowe (Undergraduate Researcher)
Kathryn Rowe (Undergraduate Researcher)
Hailey Pippin (Undergraduate Researcher)
Hailey Pippin (Undergraduate Researcher)
David Moore (Undergraduate Researcher)
David Moore (Undergraduate Researcher)
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