Exploring Biomarkers in Neurology and Brain Ageing: The Research Journey of Dr. Rina Demjaha
Dr. Rina Demjaha is a medical doctor born and raised in Prishtina, currently pursuing her PhD studies at the Medical University of Graz in Austria. She completed her medical degree as a full merit-based Turkish Government Scholarship holder at Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty in Turkey. Rina was recently honored with the Young Investigator Award at the 37th Annual Conference of the Austrian Alzheimer Society for her work entitled “Age-Related Dynamics of GFAP Blood Levels in a Normal Ageing Cohort: Implications for Biomarker Studies in Neurological Diseases.”
Her study examined how blood levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of astroglial activation, change with age in healthy individuals. The findings provide crucial context for interpreting biomarker studies in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, helping distinguish between age-related and disease-specific biological processes.
Her broader research focuses on developing and validating body-fluid biomarkers for assessing disease activity, progression, and treatment response across neurological diseases, with a special emphasis on multiple sclerosis (MS) and brain ageing. Her ongoing projects investigate the clinical relevance of serial blood-based biomarker testing in MS and their correlations with cognition, MRI parameters, and machine learning–derived imaging markers of brain health and age-associated neurodegeneration.
Beyond her research, Rina founded and led the Medical Students for Choice chapter in Istanbul, promoting access to comprehensive reproductive health education and advocacy opportunities. She has also served as Scientific Team Leader of the International Student Congress of the Medical University of Graz and as an organizational team member of the BraYn Conference in Italy.
