Research Staff Spotlight: Panteha Hayati Rezvan, PhD

Dr. Panteha Hayati Rezvan’s career in biostatistics was not something she could have predicted. “Originally, I wanted to be a software engineer,” she explains. “I took a statistics course in high school, but it was so mysterious to me at first.”

Growing up in Iran, Dr. Rezvan took an entrance exam to determine which university and major she would be assigned to. The results pointed her toward statistics. “As I studied, I realized this was actually what I wanted,” she says. “I was fascinated by how important statistics were to research.”

This fascination led Dr. Rezvan to travel to Australia and earn a master’s degree in statistics and operation research. She then received a scholarship to pursue a PhD in biostatistics. Afterward, she engaged in postdoctoral work at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was involved in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) research projects. While she valued this work, Dr. Rezvan sought to diversify her biostatistics experience. “I felt like I wanted greater variety in my work, rather than just focusing on one or two large projects,” she explains.

She found this in her current role as a Senior Biostatistician in the TSRI Biostatistics and Data Management Core at CHLA. Here, she supports researchers by assisting with study design development, creating and managing databases and helping with statistical analysis, reporting and grant preparation. “This job allows me to work with so many different investigators who are among the best in their fields and are helping children,” Dr. Rezvan says. “I feel really lucky.” As a part of her role, she also teaches courses on biostatistics and database management.

Beyond her work, Dr. Rezvan likes running, gardening, reading and documentary photography. “I like to find a subject that captures my attention and turn it into a whole photography project.”