I am Reza Amani, originally from Kolour, a picturesque city in Khalkhal County, Iran. Afterward, I moved to Rasht, known as the "City of Rain". I graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Islamic Azad University of Babol, Iran (ranked 1st). During my DVM program, I passionately worked on several research projects, such as the ameliorative effects of geraniol on toxicity induced by AlCl3 (Project I) and Zno Nps (Project II), which enriched my academic journey. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of geraniol on neurotoxicity, hemato-immunologic, hepatopancreatic, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems toxicity induced by AlCl3 (Project I) and Zno Nps (Project II). Additionally, I was appointed as a teaching assistant in the pathology laboratory, instructing perfusion and necropsy methods in laboratory animals and teaching histology and histotechniques. After graduation, I continued researching and participated in several research projects as a research assistant. My supervisor at the time, Dr. Hosseini, established a new laboratory and asked me to manage it. In this capacity, I conducted a variety of tasks, including blood chemistry and hematology testing, pathology, ELISA, and microbiology, as well as training new lab staff members.

My research efforts led to my decision to take another step and enroll in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Alongside research, this program helped me broaden my horizons and explore new areas of science. The courses, particularly public health interventions, health advocacy, and health policy, provided me with a deeper understanding of population-based health issues. Based on the experience I gained during my work and research, I chose the Human Toxicology Ph.D. program as it would introduce me to new fascinating areas of science and expand my knowledge.

The interdisciplinary Human Toxicology Program seems interesting to me since it involves toxicology and public health, which are my favorite research areas. It is my belief that the stimulating academic environment and interactions with the distinguished faculty at the University of Iowa will contribute significantly to my professional growth. There are many exciting days ahead in this program, and I am looking forward to them. Finally, my favorite extracurricular activities include football, volleyball, and badminton.