Maryam Nishtar is a rising senior at Roanoke College, from Islamabad, Pakistan majoring in Psychology and Biochemistry with a concentration in Neuroscience. Maryam is a member of the service organization Alpha Phi Omega and is a resident advisor on campus. She is also a medical scribe at Lewisgale Medical Center and plans to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.
Maryam hopes to use that position to be an advocate for women facing healthcare challenges and dedicate her time to women’s neurological health and overall wellbeing. In her spare time, Maryam likes to explore the Roanoke Valley by going hiking and trying out different places.
Maryam is working with Dr. David Nichols on the project “Physical Changes in the Brain as a function of Clinical Dementia Ratings in Women with Alzheimer’s Disease.” This project will identify differences in the brain structures of men and women with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), taking into consideration the role of clinical dementia ratings. A literature review will provide context for research about AD in women in relation to clinical dementia ratings in addition to an analysis of longitudinal MR and PET images. The purpose of the study is to identify brain regions affected by AD in the female brain as this may give insight as to why women experience AD more than men.