Dr Maëlenn Guerchet is a senior researcher at the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), with a focus on ageing and dementia in sub-Saharan Africa. Her PhD focused on the assessment, prevalence and risk factors of dementia among older adults living in French speaking African countries (Benin, Central African Republic and Congo). Maëlenn extended her interests in brain health by comparing how the dementia epidemic affects African and other low- and middle-income countries in a world going through demographic, social and epidemiological transitions.

Dr Guerchet has lead several projects in West Africa (Benin, Ghana) and coordinated a multicenter population-based survey in Central Africa (EPIDEMCA/FU). She is a member of the Africa Dementia Consortium, the 10/66 Dementia Research Group, and an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health (Global Brain Health Institute). She has also contributed to several reports published by Alzheimer’s Disease International and the World Health Organization.

She is currently posted at the University of Abomey-Calavi, in Benin.