Sara Tavakoli, PhD
Director, FRIC Research Compliance and Operations/Responsible Official
Associate Staff
Email: [email protected]
Location:
Cleveland Clinic Florida Research & Innovation Center
Research
Dr. Sara Tavakoli is the Director, FRIC Research Compliance and Operations/Responsible Official and Associate Staff at Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center (FRIC). She oversees all of the core research facilities, scientific operations and regulatory compliance programs for the FRIC.
Biography
Dr. Tavakoli started her career focusing on the pathogenesis of inhalational Anthrax infections in the murine model. This research resulted in authorship of several scientific journal publications. Dr. Tavakoli has over 20 years of experience in the scientific field and specializes in research administration, regulatory compliance and coordinating the day to day operations of research laboratories. Dr. Tavakoli has a wide-ranging background establishing research infrastructure, serving on research oversight committees, developing international biorisk management standards and coordinating laboratory design recommendations on a global scale. She has also worked to open, operate, and manage highly specialized research facilities at several research institutions from their inception, including high containment laboratories, vivarium’s, as well as, a microbiological core at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tavakoli has served on numerous committees overseeing various research programs to ensure regulatory compliance.
Education & Professional Highlights
Dr. Tavakoli earned bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Psychology from New Mexico State University. After completing her undergraduate studies Dr. Tavakoli received her PhD from the University of New Mexico.
Research
Dr. Sara Tavakoli is the Director, FRIC Research Compliance and Operations/Responsible Official and Associate Staff at Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center (FRIC). She oversees all of the core research facilities, scientific operations and regulatory compliance programs for the FRIC. She started her career focusing on the pathogenesis of inhalational Anthrax infections in the murine model. This research resulted in authorship of several scientific journal publications. Dr. Tavakoli has over 20 years of experience in the scientific field and specializes in research administration, regulatory compliance and coordinating the day to day operations of research laboratories. Dr. Tavakoli has a wide-ranging background establishing research infrastructure, serving on research oversight committees, developing international biorisk management standards and coordinating laboratory design recommendations on a global scale. She has also worked to open, operate, and manage highly specialized research facilities at several research institutions from their inception, including high containment laboratories, vivarium’s, as well as, a microbiological core at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tavakoli has served on numerous committees overseeing various research programs to ensure regulatory compliance.
Our Team
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Literature (maiden name Heninger):
1. Kim T., Pinkham J., Heninger S., Chalabaev S., Kasper DL. Genetic modification of the O polysaccharide of Francisella tularensis results in an avirulent live attenuated vaccine. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2011 Nov 1;204(9)
2. Gregory, S., Chen W., Mott, S., Palardy, J., Parejo, N., Heninger, S., Anderson, C., Artenstein, A., Opal, S., Cross, A. Detoxified Endotoxin Vaccine (J5dLPS/OMP) Protects Mice Against Lethal Respiratory Challenge with Francisella tularensis, SchuS4. Vaccine. 2010 Apr 1;28(16):2908-15
3. Heninger, S., C.A. Anderson, G. Beltz, and A.B. Onderdonk. Decontamination of Bacillus anthracis Spores: Evaluation of Various Disinfectants. Appl. Biosafety. 14 (1)
4. Heninger, S.*, M.F. Drysdale*, J. Hutt, M. Lipscomb, T.M. Koehler and C.R. Lyons. Toxin-Deficient Mutants of Bacillus anthracis are Lethal in a Murine Model for Pulmonary Anthrax. Infect. Immun. 74(11):6067-74. (*indicates authors contributed equally)
5. Drysdale, M.F.*, S. Heninger*, C.R. Lyons and T.M. Koehler. Capsule synthesis by Bacillus anthracis is required for Dissemination in Murine Inhalation Anthrax. EMBO. 24:221-227. (*indicates authors contributed equally) 6. Lyons CR, J. Lovchik, J, Hutt, M.F. Lipscomb, E. Wang, S. Heninger, L. Berliba, K. Garrison. Murine model of pulmonary anthrax: kinetics of dissemination, histopathology, and mouse strain susceptibility. Infect Immun. 72(8):4801-9.