About
Dr. M. Natasha Rajah is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sex, Gender and Diversity in Brain Health, Memory and Aging. She is also an Adjunct Faculty at McGill University's Department of Psychiatry and an Adjunct Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest. Her interdisciplinary affiliations reflect her leadership in cognitive neuroscience and aging research.
Her research focuses on the cognitive neuroscience of memory and aging, particularly how biological sex, sociocultural gender, menopause, and social determinants of health influence brain aging and Alzheimer's disease risk. Using multimodal methods—including fMRI, structural MRI, behavioral testing, endocrine assays, and genetics—she investigates normative memory maintenance and risk factors for cognitive decline.
The recent publications highlight a consistent focus on neuroimaging, memory systems, sex differences, and aging. Her work spans high-impact topics such as hippocampal mediation in aging, functional connectivity differences by sex, and genetic risk factors like APOE4. The research integrates clinical neuroscience with population diversity, aiming to develop equitable biomarkers and interventions.
Scientific honors include:
- Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sex, Gender and Diversity in Brain Health, Memory and Aging
- CIHR Sex and Gender Research Chair in Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction
Dr. Rajah has held major administrative roles, including Director of the Douglas Brain Imaging Centre (2011–2021) and Assistant Dean (Academic Affairs) at McGill’s Faculty of Medicine. She advises through her BHEAM Lab and leads national initiatives such as Team 9 (Developing Novel Biomarkers) and the IDEAS Committees in the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). She is Editor-in-Chief of Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition and Associate Editor of Psychological Science.
She leads the Brain Health Equity in Aging and Memory (BHEAM) Lab at TMU, which conducts cutting-edge research on dementia prevention and brain health equity. Her team integrates cognitive testing with advanced neuroimaging and biomarker analysis to study diverse populations across the adult lifespan.
