Sarah Assaad

Sarah Assaad is a visiting researcher at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, and a Research Fellow in Cognitive Ageing and Dementia Epidemiology at University College London. Her work is centered on understanding cognitive change in older adults in relation to socio-economic, social, and physical health factors.

Education:

• PhD, University of Cambridge (2018–2022) – supported by the Cambridge Trust Scholarship
• Master of Public Health (Epidemiology and Biostatistics), American University of Beirut (2015)
• Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences, American University of Beirut (2013)

Research Interests:

Sarah’s research explores the intersection of cognitive ageing with social determinants of health, focusing on longitudinal indices of social wellbeing and their impact on health and social care utilization among older adults. She has contributed significantly to the ELSA-HCAP project and the CC75C study, both of which are pivotal in understanding dementia epidemiology and ageing trajectories.

Scientific Contributions & Awards:

• Received the Cambridge Trust Scholarship for PhD studies
• Honored with the Emerging Scholar Awards at the Ageing and Social Change Conferences in 2019 and 2021
• Successfully defended her PhD thesis in May 2022, which contributed to the development of a longitudinal index of social wellbeing

Research Projects & Leadership:

• Coordinated the first 10/66 dementia cohort study in Lebanon (2016–2017)
• Published findings in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences

She is actively involved in cross-institutional collaborations and maintains affiliations with both the University of Cambridge and University College London.