Dr. Rafii received an M.D. from the Université Paris V René Descartes and a Ph.D. in Molecular Oncology from the Université Paris XI, Kremelin Bicetre. Subsequently, he was a resident in Gynecology-Obstetrics at the Assistance Public-Hopitaux de Paris and a Fellow in Gynecologic Oncology at the Institut Claudius Regaud, Toulouse. Additional academic positions held by Dr. Rafii include Research Fellow at Washington University, St. Louis, Assistant Professor at the Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, and Junior Faculty member at INSERM, U872, Paris. From 2007 to 2008, he was an attending physician in Gynecologic Oncology at the Institut Claudius Regaud, Toulouse, France.
Dr. Rafii's research has focused on stem cell science and gynecologic oncology, in particular the role of the interaction between mesenchymal stem cells and cancer cells in the acquisition of chemoresistance. At Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar (WCM-Q), his research focuses on ovarian cancer and stem cell biology. Through collaboration with WCMC Department of Genetic Medicine as well as the Ansary Stem Cell Center for Regenerative Medicine, his laboratory uses a system biology approach to stroma mediated cancer resistance as well as to organ regeneration. His laboratory has many international collaboration and leads a large network focusing on ovarian cancer.