Suzanne Tyas

Research interests

My research aims to identify strategies to help preserve memory and other cognitive abilities, and thus increase the quality of life of older adults. To meet this goal, I study factors that put people at risk of cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, as well as factors that build people’s resistance to cognitive decline (i.e., cognitive resilience). These factors span the life course, from birth (e.g., genes) and early life (e.g., grades in school, multilingualism) through to late life (e.g., stroke).

Populations around the world are growing older. Thus, age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, will become more common. We don’t yet have any way to cure Alzheimer’s disease, and so prevention is key. Strategies to build cognitive resilience have the potential to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive decline, and thus increase the chance of healthy aging for all.

Graduate supervision and student opportunities

I am currently accepting applications from graduate students with relevant backgrounds in aging or research methods, and research interests related to:

• Risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease
• Predictors of healthy aging
• Trajectories of cognitive decline
• Cognitive resilience

Graduate studies application details

Teaching interests

• Epidemiologic methods
• Epidemiology of aging

Education

BSc Human Biology/Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph

MSc Pathology, Western University

PhD Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University

Selected publications 

See Google Scholar for full list of publications.