August 8, 2014
As a child in Iran, Mazda Shirazi would watch his mother, an agricultural engineer who specialized in plant pathology, go into fields and decide how to treat for pests. The process of deciding whether to use a pesticide or natural toxin fascinated Shirazi, and ignited a spark in him to learn more about toxins. It's a spark that has never gone out. Shirazi now serves as medical director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the UA College of Pharmacy.