Zarrintaj (Zari) Aliabadi is a physician assistant and a microbiologist. She received her Pharm D from the University of Tehran College of Pharmacy, in Iran, and her PhD in biomedical sciences from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, where she worked with John W. Foster. After her postdoctoral work at the University of South Alabama (USA), in Mobile, Alabama, she joined the Department of Biochemistry at the USA College of Medicine, where she taught biochemistry and conducted research on sickle-cell anemia. Dr. Aliabadi then earned a master's in health sciences from the USA Physician Assistant Studies Program, practiced medicine as a PA in endocrinology, served as director of the USA Diabetic Foot Clinic, and became Chair of the USA Physician Assistant Studies Program. Recently she was named professor emeritus for her contributions. Dr.

Aliabadi has taught extensively on infectious disease, pathophysiology, and clinical medicine to undergraduate pre-health profession students, graduate physician assistant students, and medical students. Her publications span the realms of microbiology and medicine.