Warisha Zahid
Research Associate
As an Epidemiologist and Biostatistician, Warisha Zahid has profound knowledge of study designs and data analysis. Currently working as a Research Associate at the Brain and Mind Institute under the leadership of Dr. Murad Khan, Warisha works on suicide prevention programs in the Eastern Mediterranean region as part of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). She liaisons with different members of the IASP for P4L (Partnerships for Life), a suicide prevention initiative aimed towards building collaborative partnerships between, and within, the six UN world regions (Africa, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific)
In addition to a master's degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Aga Khan University, she holds a degree in Pharmacy. This rare combination of professional expertise helps her think out of the box and work on ideas that are directed toward objective approaches when it comes to mental health and suicide. Warisha's MSc thesis was on molecular epidemiology, genetics, and virology, while she also took electives in research methods in mental health and worked on projects on the mental health of school children, particularly on Conduct disorder.
Warisha aims to combine epigenetics, mental health, and suicidal behavior, and to conduct biomarker research on the genetic predisposition of individuals towards self-harm. She believes in meaningful work and concrete action points while always dreaming big.
