Dr. Shima Shahbaz, armed with a medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and a residency at Shiraz University, she practiced dermatology for four years in Iran before crossing continents. In 2017, Shima embarked on a transformative journey, earning her PhD in immunology from the University of Alberta in 2021. Her ground-breaking research in HIV pathogenesis, conducted at the Elahi lab, yielded multiple publications in prestigious journals, with 7 first-author and 8 co-author contributions. Shima collected over 20 awards and scholarships during her PhD. Opting for the Canadian landscape over tempting offers from the USA, she commenced her post-doctoral fellowship in July 2021, delving into SARS-CoV-2, Long-COVID, and HIV research using cutting-edge bioinformatic tools. She has recently been awarded a CIHR Early Career Transition Award.