Maryam Farvid joined the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies as an associate professor in fall 2023. As an international scholar, she has extensive experience engaging in academia cross-nationally, including in Iran, Australia, and the United States. This experience has empowered her to cultivate a vast network of diverse collaborations across the globe and to conduct chronic disease research across different social and cultural landscapes.

Farvid completed her BSc. and MSc. in Nutrition Sciences at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, followed by her Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences with a minor in Epidemiology at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Throughout her Ph.D. program, she had the privilege to extend her research at the University of Western Australia, where she actively participated in several research projects focused on lipoprotein metabolism and obesity.

Prior to joining Mason, Farvid held several positions, including serving as an associate professor in Iran and working as a research scientist in Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Farvid’s primary research focus centers on conducting cutting-edge studies to examine the role of diet and lifestyle factors in both preventing and healing of non-communicable diseases in developed and developing countries.

In Iran, Farvid dedicated years to the study of diabetes, investigating the role of dietary intake, lifestyle factors, and antioxidant supplements in diabetes complications. At Harvard University, she became involved in a breast cancer project, marking the beginning of an entirely new research direction for her.

Farvid was actively engaged in a project that aimed to investigate whether dietary choices individuals made during their adolescence and early adult years can have an impact on the risk of developing breast cancer later in life. For instance, the research indicates that a higher consumption of total red and processed meat during adolescence and early adulthood is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer before menopause. Consequently, replacing total red and processed meat with a combination of poultry, fish, legumes and nuts as protein sources during early life appears beneficial for premenopausal breast cancer prevention. The study has also demonstrated the advantages of increased dietary fiber intake among teenagers and young adults, as it is associated with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer in the future.

Additionally, adolescent fruit intake stands out as one of the few potentially modifiable risk factors for reducing breast cancer risk. Farvid has a strong passion to continue her studies, aiming to gain a deeper insight into the impact of modifiable factors on reducing the risk of cancer.

Given the growing population of breast cancer survivors, the identification of lifestyle factors that can improve survival of cancer patients is extremely important.

Farvid’s most recent projects on the relationship between diet and survival after breast cancer hold significance for breast cancer survivors and the healthcare professionals who support them. A notable finding from her research emphasizes the importance of the type and amount of carbohydrate intake for breast cancer survivors. In particular, the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages stands out as important considerations. Farvid’s ongoing research journey is committed to further substantiating evidence that can offer valuable insights for individuals diagnosed with cancer.