معرفی
Pankaja Desai is an Assistant Professor at Rush University's Rush Medical College, affiliated with the Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Care. Her primary research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s, biomarkers of cognitive decline, and the interplay between cardiovascular health, lifestyle factors, and aging. She has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications since 2006.
Her work emphasizes longitudinal studies in diverse populations, investigating how genetics (e.g., APOE4 allele), social determinants, and biomarkers like neurofilament light chain predict cognitive outcomes. Key areas include studying the effects of social vulnerability indices on Alzheimer’s incidence, lipid profiles’ role in cognitive decline, and diet’s interaction with genetic risk factors.
Recent publications highlight trends in analyzing biomarkers of neurodegeneration (e.g., tau proteins, neurofilament light), exploring how social isolation impacts cognitive decline, and validating dementia prediction models across racial groups. Her research frequently involves large cohorts like the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP).
Desai collaborates closely with co-authors such as Dr. Kumar Rajan, Klodian Dhana, and Robert Wilson on aging-related studies. Her work is frequently cited in clinical guidelines and policy discussions regarding public health strategies for aging populations.
