payal Hedge, Field Researcher

Payal Hegde is a Field Researcher in the CHEN Lab, where she leads the DyADiC study examining how social relationships and emotional processes shape cognitive and functional outcomes in later life. She earned her B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior from UC Davis and her M.S. in Global Health from UCSF. Her research interests span cognitive aging, neurodegenerative disease, interpersonal connectedness, cognitive resilience, assistive technology, and culturally informed approaches to supporting brain health, independence, and quality of life for older adults and their families.