Master’s Student

Mahina Sheikh is a second-year Master’s student in Biomedical Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She graduated from New York University in December 2023 with a degree in Music Performance while also completing the premedical track. Her path reflects a blend of artistic discipline and scientific curiosity, shaped by a lifelong passion for music and a growing dedication to medicine.

Her research focuses on lineage-specific dynamics within the myeloid compartment in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). She studies why certain progenitor populations preferentially expand while others are depleted, exploring both intrinsic drivers, such as genetic and epigenetic changes, and extrinsic signals from the bone marrow microenvironment. Through this work, she hopes to contribute to a deeper understanding of hematopoietic imbalance.

Outside of the lab, Mahina aspires to pursue a career in medicine. She loves traveling to new places, and spending time with her cat.

Fun fact: I’ve been playing the cello since the age of nine.