Zara originally joined King’s in 2015 as an undergraduate student, studying Global Health and Social Medicine. Her research interests were focused on access to healthcare for refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in the UK, focusing on the effects of charging regulations on physical and mental health. Zara also has a Masters of Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Zara joined the Centre for Society and Mental Health's Marginalised Communities Programme in January 2021. Zara's current research focuses around global mental health and mental health policy, particularly among marginalised communities such as refugees and migrants. 

Zara also started her PhD part-time in October 2021. Zara's PhD project is titled 'The mental health of young Syrian refugees in the UK: Understanding the lived experiences of endurance and thriving in a Hostile Environment'