Undergraduate Tackles Alzheimer’s with Data and Determination
Mina Mahmood, a junior at Indiana University Northwest (IUN) studying neuroscience, grew up witnessing her father’s memory decline. His battle with a cognitive disorder sparked Mina’s curiosity about the brain and ignited her desire to help others facing similar challenges.
Summer 2025: Joining Datawiz‑IN
During the summer of 2025, Mina traveled to Indianapolis to participate in Datawiz‑IN, a student research program that leverages health data and artificial intelligence to detect Alzheimer’s disease early. The program focuses on identifying early markers of dementia before it severely impacts daily life.
Mina learned about the opportunity through her university’s student government. Although the program was advertised as open only to local students, Mina reached out and secured a spot by explaining her passion and background. She was matched with an Alzheimer’s research team, giving her hands‑on experience with real medical data.
The Project: Decoding Blood Test Data
Mina’s primary task involved analyzing blood test results from a decade‑long Korean hospital dataset. By searching for genetic markers associated with Alzheimer’s risk, she discovered a statistically significant link to the transcriptional risk score. This breakthrough could enable clinicians to detect Alzheimer’s earlier and with less invasive procedures.
Balancing Workload & Learning
- Monday‑Wednesday: Data crunching and analysis
- Friday: Presenting findings to the research team
Although Mina was the sole undergraduate in a group of PhD fellows, she handled workload comparable to her senior peers. The experience was initially challenging, but her perseverance paid off.
Recognition & Impact
An associate professor of psychology at IUN praised Mina’s achievement, emphasizing that regional campuses can nurture high‑level research talent even without the same resources as larger institutions. The professor highlighted that students like Mina thrive when provided with solid foundations and ample growth opportunities.
Mina’s story underscores how personal motivation, academic curiosity, and supportive environments can converge to produce meaningful scientific contributions. Her work not only advances Alzheimer’s research but also serves as an inspiring example for aspiring researchers everywhere.
