Arshia Esmaeilian

Seeking research and clinical research roles in New York City

Arshia Esmaeilian

B.S. in Chemistry from the University of South Florida. Drug discovery research, emergency medical response, and patient care. Aspiring surgeon. Based in Astoria, Queens.

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Portrait of Arshia Esmaeilian in a navy suit and striped tie

About

I’ve cared for patients in hurricane shelters, screened marine and fungal extracts for new antifungal and anti-tubercular leads, and taught organic chemistry to students convinced they’d never get it. The common thread is helping people through hard moments with careful, clear work.

Raised in Dubai as an Iranian national, I’ve never lived in a country that offered me a permanent home. That experience shaped how I see the barriers immigrants face, and it drove my work leading USF’s Iranian Students Association and speaking to the press on behalf of Iranian and international students. It’s also why I’m committed to health equity for immigrant communities.

I’m now looking for research roles in New York, especially clinical research at academic medical centers.

Research

Bill Baker Natural Products Lab, USF · January 2024 to present

Looking for new medicines in fungi and marine life

I work on natural products drug discovery: growing and extracting organisms collected in the field, then testing the extracts against drug-resistant pathogens and tracing the activity down to the compounds responsible. I have contributed to four discovery projects in a BSL-2 lab, and I am a contributing author on a manuscript in preparation.

  1. Tapachula, MexicoEndophytic fungi screened against Candida albicans and C. auris. August 2024 to May 2025.
  2. AntarcticaHydrozoans and sponges screened for anti-tubercular metabolites. May 2025 to present.
  3. Florida EvergladesMangrove samples and the novel compounds behind our manuscript in preparation.
  • Bioassay-guided screening
  • Fungal cultivation
  • Partitioning
  • HPLC
  • MPLC
  • Column chromatography (C8, LH-20)
  • NMR (1H, 13C, HSQC)
  • IC50 determination
  • Aseptic technique

Projects and presentations

Laboratory research · Aug 2024 to May 2025

Candida Crushers: Discovering Novel Antifungal Metabolites from Endophytic Fungi via a Bioassay-Guided Approach

Resistance is rising among Candida species, including Candida auris. We studied TAP14-269D-4, an endophytic Talaromyces species isolated from pine tree roots in Tapachula, Mexico, for its potent activity against C. albicans and C. auris. Using a bioassay-guided approach, we combined HRMS, NMR spectroscopy, and AI-assisted de-replication tools such as SMART NMR and DeepSAT to identify and characterize its secondary metabolites.

Presented at the Harvard Undergraduate Research Conference (HURC), FURC, and USF Castle

View the project ↗

Literature review · Sep 2023 to Apr 2024

Alcohol’s Long-Term Effects on Cardiomyocytes and Development of Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy

Alcoholic dilated cardiomyopathy is linked to chronic alcohol abuse and marked by altered mRNA expression and structural changes in the heart that can lead to heart failure. We reviewed decades of human and animal studies on the roles of alcohol, genetic predisposition, and comorbidities. The review highlights acetaldehyde’s part in cardiac remodeling, and abstinence or moderation as the most effective treatment.

Presented at OneUSF

View the project ↗

Research in French · Apr 2025

Enseignant contre machine : la différence de rétention linguistique à long terme entre les utilisateurs d’applications d’apprentissage des langues et les élèves des classes traditionnelles

Teacher versus machine. Apps like Duolingo, Babbel, and Busuu have made language learning more accessible, convenient, and affordable. This study, written and presented in French, asks whether they are actually more effective than in-person teaching for long-term language retention.

Presented at the USF World Languages Colloquium

View the project ↗

Honors & Awards

King O’Neal Scholar

The USF Alumni Association’s award for graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA, the university’s highest undergraduate academic distinction. I received it in Spring 2026 as one of 20 international honorees, and the only chemistry major among that semester’s scholars.

Medal
Certificate

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Summa Cum Laude

The University of South Florida’s highest Latin honor at graduation, awarded with my B.S. in Chemistry in May 2026. The medal carries the university seal on the front and the honor engraved on the back.

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Phi Beta Kappa

Elected to the Eta of Florida chapter at the University of South Florida on December 3, 2025, in recognition of high attainments in liberal scholarship. I was the only chemistry major in USF’s 2026 induction class.

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Disaster Response Team challenge coin

Awarded to USF Medical Response Unit members who deployed during Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The reverse carries the unit’s motto, Non Nobis Solum: not for ourselves alone.

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Meritorious Service Award

Presented by the USF Medical Response Unit to its graduating members in recognition of their service as student emergency medical responders.

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Green and Gold Presidential Scholarship

USF’s highest admissions merit award for non-Florida residents: a $48,000 out-of-state tuition award, granted for academic merit.

  • Dean’s ListUSF College of Arts and Sciences · 2022–2026Named every eligible semester, including senior-year terms of 19 and 21 credits.
  • Conference Presentation GrantUniversity of South FloridaA $500 grant that funded travel to present my research at the Harvard Undergraduate Research Conference.
  • Staff SpotlightFlorida College Learning Center Association · Dec 2025Featured in the association’s newsletter, The Peninsula, for my tutoring at the USF Academic Success Center. See the post.

Certifications

Experience

Clinical

Emergency Medical Responder USF Medical Response Unit

Responded to campus medical and trauma calls, and deployed to hurricane shelters with a state response team.
  • Assessed, stabilized, and documented care on 1–3 medical and trauma calls per shift, free to patients, until handoff for further evaluation.
  • Served on a state response team during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, giving shelter-based care to 200+ patients, mostly older adults and unhoused people.
  • Received the MRU Meritorious Service Award and a Disaster Response Team challenge coin.

Health Support Staff Volunteer USF Student Health & Wellness Center

Took vitals and completed intake for 3–4 patients an hour before provider visits.
  • Obtained vital signs, documented patient information, and assisted with intake.
  • Prepared patients and supported providers during visits to keep a busy student clinic moving.
  • About 100 volunteer hours.

Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Volunteer Moffitt Cancer Center

Supported postoperative patients in recovery and guided patients and families through discharge.
  • Helped keep 2–3 postoperative patients an hour comfortable in the PACU and transported cleared patients to the discharge lounge.
  • Guided patients to the right areas and answered questions in the Patient Experience Department.
  • Assisted with patient flow and communication on a fast-paced unit. About 130 volunteer hours.

Research

Research Assistant Bill Baker Natural Products Lab, USF

Natural products drug discovery: screening fungal and marine extracts for antifungal and anti-tubercular activity.
  • Contributed to four discovery projects using bioassay-guided screening and fraction prioritization in a BSL-2 lab.
  • Analyzed fungal and marine samples from Tapachula, Mexico; the Florida Everglades; and Antarctica to find compounds worth antifungal and anti-tubercular follow-up.
  • Performed partitioning, chromatographic purification, and structural analysis using HPLC, MPLC, column chromatography, and NMR.
  • Presented findings at Harvard (HURC), FURC, and USF Castle; contributing author on a manuscript in preparation.

Teaching, leadership, and writing

Subject Tutor USF Academic Success Center

Taught General and Organic Chemistry one-on-one and in groups of up to eight.
  • Helped students build content mastery, problem-solving skills, and study strategies, adapting to each student’s background.
  • Designed practice resources and study guides for the hardest concepts.
  • Selected as a founding tutor for the Math in Chemistry track of the Center’s new Peer Math Coaching program.
  • Featured in the Florida College Learning Center Association’s Staff Spotlight, December 2025.

President Iranian Students Association at USF

Led the association’s operations, events, partnerships, and press.
  • Presided over executive meetings and served as the association’s main liaison to the university.
  • Organized campus-wide cultural events drawing 300–500 people, including a music competition with the Persian American Society of Tampa Bay.
  • Brought Voices Unveiled to Florida for its first performance in the state.
  • Led demonstrations, informational events, and community discussions on human rights in Iran.
  • Spoke for Iranian students in The Washington Post, the Tampa Bay Times, Spectrum Bay News 9, and other outlets.

Vice President of Communications Beta Theta Pi, USF

Ran the chapter’s communications and outreach.
  • Oversaw social media strategy, generating 71,457 views and reaching 13,374 accounts on Instagram over three months.
  • Coordinated outreach with student organizations, university departments, and local businesses.
  • Promoted joint events and philanthropy with fraternities and sororities across campus.
  • Designed the chapter’s recruitment graphics and video.

Vice President of Finance Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity, USF

Ran chapter budgets and fundraisers that raised over $11,500 for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
  • Created chapter budgets and controlled costs, improving budget efficiency by 93%.
  • Organized fundraisers, including large philanthropy events, benefiting the hospital through Children’s Miracle Network.
  • Designed and distributed chapter merchandise.

Sports Correspondent The Oracle, USF’s student newspaper

Covered USF’s NCAA Division I athletics.
  • Wrote eleven sports articles from live game coverage, post-game interviews, and press conferences.
  • Interviewed athletes and coaches for features and profiles.
  • Filed on deadline for a student audience.

Philanthropy

$11,616raised in 2024

As Vice President of Finance for the Phi Delta Epsilon medical fraternity at USF, I led a year of fundraising for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital through Children’s Miracle Network: four main events and six restaurant giveback nights.

  • Run For The Kids$3,894
  • Stand For The Kids$3,407
  • Cognitive Carnival$2,015
  • PhiDE Dodge-Off$1,271
  • Six giveback nightsabout $1,030

Giveback nights

  • Blaze Pizza Jan 24
  • Fuzzy’s Feb 28
  • Panda Express Mar 27
  • Dave’s Sep 4
  • Chipotle Oct 15
  • Blaze Pizza Nov 20

In Photos

Presenting “Candida Crushers” at the Harvard Undergraduate Research Conference
My Hurricane Milton disaster response team, USF Medical Response Unit
With my co-presenters at the 2024 OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference
Receiving the Meritorious Service Award from the Medical Response Unit
Presenting my French-language study at the USF World Languages Colloquium
At Shahrivargan Celebration, the Iranian Students Association’s first event of the year, September 2024
With the winning team at PhiDE Dodge-Off, the dodgeball tournament I hosted for Phi Delta Epsilon
Run For The Kids, the Phi Delta Epsilon event I hosted and our biggest fundraiser of the year
Competing with the USF Jiu-Jitsu team, adult team champions at the NewBreed Tampa Winter Championship, February 2023
With my first jiu-jitsu professor, the reason I kept training

Presenting “Candida Crushers” at the Harvard Undergraduate Research Conference

Swipe the stack to flip through.

Media Appearances

Interviews and coverage, most of it on what war and travel bans have meant for Iranian and international students in the United States.

The Washington Post

Iranians in the U.S. worry over Israel conflict – and Iran’s future

Online

Read the article

The Washington Post

International students scared to leave U.S., return to school after travel ban

Print and online

Read the article

Tampa Bay Times

Family matters for international students facing restrictive immigration rules

Print and online

Read the article

Spectrum Bay News 9

President of Iranian Student Association at USF shares experience since war

TV interview

Watch the interview

WMNF 88.5

Politics and football crossed path at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Radio and article

Listen to the segment

Centro Tampa Bay

Estudiantes internacionales de Florida se gradúan y restricciones de viaje les causan incertidumbre

In Spanish

Read in Spanish

USF World

Twenty international students at USF earn one of its highest honors

University news

Read the article

The Oracle

USF international students navigate travel under new visa limitations

Student newspaper

Read the article

USF Z News

Tampa debris efforts continue

Video report

Watch the report

Sports Journalism

Nine bylined pieces from covering USF’s Division I teams as a correspondent for The Oracle, the student newspaper. See my author page.

USF players have a long history at the Super Bowl

Football feature

Read the article

An overview of USF’s 2025 transfer portal so far

Football analysis

Read the article

USF women’s basketball drops two games in Cayman Islands tournament

Basketball recap

Read the article

USF’s Golesh sticking with quarterback Archie for Charlotte matchup

Football preview

Read the article

USF beach volleyball joins Conference USA

Beach volleyball news

Read the article

USF football takeaways: Bulls run over Southern Mississippi

Football analysis

Read the article

USF falls to Alabama in fourth quarter collapse

Football recap

Read the article

USF men’s soccer faces former AAC foe UCF in new 2024 schedule

Soccer news

Read the article

USF’s Jose Fernandez wins gold in international basketball championship

Basketball news

Read the article

Hobbies & Free Time

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Training since February 2022.

Current rank

    Learning languages

    A daily Duolingo habit, nearly seven years running.

    2,412days practiced

    Daily practice since January 29, 2020, on about 99% of days.

    Newest habit: tennis.

    Video Editing

    Short promotional videos for clients of the digital marketing agency Dreamize, and a recruitment video for Beta Theta Pi.

    Beta Rush Video, Fall 2025

    Beta Theta Pi

    Recruitment video

    Watch the video

    Magic Tap

    CutInHalf, via Dreamize

    Instagram Reel

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    Magic Notification

    Shaygan Cafe, via Dreamize

    Instagram post

    Watch the video

    Eid Al Adha

    Fujiyama, via Dreamize

    Instagram Reel

    Watch the reel

    Magic Shawarma

    Mama Fouz, via Dreamize

    Instagram Reel

    Watch the reel

    Loading Deliciousness

    Farsi Restaurant, via Dreamize

    Instagram Reel

    Watch the reel

    Motion Tracking

    Mizan Crypto, via Dreamize

    Instagram Reel

    Watch the reel

    More video work. Earlier edits and miscellaneous projects, kept in my portfolio files.

    Browse the videos ↗

    Graphic Design

    Nine of the twenty social media graphics I made for four USF organizations. The rest are in my portfolio files.

    Stand With Iran

    Iranian Students Association at USF

    Advocacy graphic

    See the design

    Math in Chemistry Coaching Flyer

    USF Academic Success Center

    Program flyer

    See the design

    Men of Principle Scholarship, Fall 2025

    Beta Theta Pi

    Scholarship announcement

    See the design

    Brother of the Month, March 2025

    Beta Theta Pi

    Member spotlight

    See the design

    Rush Beta, Spring 2025

    Beta Theta Pi

    Recruitment graphic

    See the design

    PhiDE Dodge-Off Flyer

    Phi Delta Epsilon

    Event flyer

    See the design

    Shahrivargan Celebration Flyer

    Iranian Students Association at USF

    Event flyer

    See the design

    Run For The Kids Flyer

    Phi Delta Epsilon

    Event flyer

    See the design

    PhiDE 2024 E-Board

    Phi Delta Epsilon

    Officer announcement

    See the design

    More design work. Logos, apparel and merchandise, and earlier graphics, kept in my portfolio files.

    Browse the designs ↗

    Contact

    I’m looking for clinical research and research roles in New York City.

    arshiaesmaei1@gmail.com LinkedIn Download resume