Firdaus Muhammad

Firdaus Muhammad is a senior at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst, pursuing a dual degree in Public Health Sciences and Microbiology. She is interested in environmental toxicology, especially where it connects with infectious disease and the immune system. She is curious about how pathogens and environmental exposures shape health outcomes, and how these factors interact to affect the body’s defenses. At UMass Amherst, her research focuses on how PFAS chemicals impact pancreatic development in larval zebrafish, including exploring critical exposure windows and testing compounds that may help the pancreas recover from oxidative stress. Through the MSDT-One Health program, Firdaus hopes to gain clearer insight into the role of toxicology in One Health and infectious disease research, as well as build a supportive mentoring relationship to grow both scientifically and professionally.

Mentors:
Archit Rastogi
Ahmed Abdelmoneim