Parsa Afrooz

I am a PhD student in the McGill Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN), specializing in neuropsychology and neuroimaging. After earning my undergraduate degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from Concordia University, I was accepted into IPN's competitive PhD Rotation Program, which allowed me to explore diverse research methodologies and lab environments before selecting my current focus.
My research is co-supervised by Dr. Maxime Montembeault and Dr. Mahsa Dadar. With Dr. Montembeault, I analyze behavioral and cognitive data in patients with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) to study the sex differences and the Social Determinants of Health in FTD and healthy controls. Under Dr. Dadar’s supervision, I investigate MRI abnormalities in patients with FTD.
Throughout my academic journey, I gained practical experience through volunteering at the Jewish General Hospital, first in the Emergency Department in 2017, where I observed patient care, and later in the Imaging Department in 2022, which deepened my interest in neuroimaging techniques. Additionally, I volunteered with SIARI (Service d’Interprète d’Aide et de Référence aux Immigrants), tutoring immigrant children, and joined BrainReach, where I introduce neuroscience concepts to high school students. I also contribute to the broader neuroscience community as a judge for the International Youth Neuroscience Association's Ideathon, evaluating innovative neuroscience projects by students worldwide.
These experiences, combined with the Rotation Program, have allowed me to develop skills in neuroimaging, cognitive and behavioral data analysis, and interdisciplinary research, which I apply to understanding Frontotemporal dementia.