As the fourth researcher selected for the prestigious Harvard–AKU Global Mental Health Fellowship, Dr. Nida Zahid is taking on a critical challenge, integrating mental health into cancer care in low-resource settings. The fellowship, a joint initiative of Harvard Medical School and AKU's Brain and Mind Institute, supports post-doctoral leaders advancing mental health implementation science in South & Central Asia and East Africa.

We spoke with Nida about what drives her work, why brain tumor patients in Pakistan need more than just biomedical treatment, and how this fellowship is helping her turn research into real-world impact.

1. What drew you to mental health research, and how will this fellowship amplify your impact?

My fascination with mental health began early, witnessing a gap between biomedical treatment and psychological support, especially for cancer patients in low-resource settings. Despite their emotional and cognitive burdens, mental health often gets sidelined.

As I built a decade-length career spanning medicine, epidemiology and neuro-oncology, I dedicated myself to understanding how resilience and neurocognitive health affect long-term wellbeing among cancer survivors. This global mental health fellowship offers a powerful stage to collaborate with global leaders and deepen implementation research. It will help me scale culturally relevant interventions, mentor emerging scholars, and shape psychosocial policies in LMICs.

2. Can you outline your research focus under this fellowship?

My efforts will center on implementing a culturally tailored psychological intervention for patients with brain tumors in Pakistan. While survival rates improve, the neurocognitive and psycho-social aftermath, worsened by stigma, financial hardship and weak mental health systems, goes largely unaddressed.

Using implementation science, I will map context-specific barriers and build strategies with patients, clinicians, caregivers and policymakers. Ultimately, the aim is to generate practical, evidence-based insights that can inform policy and practice not only in Pakistan but also in other low- and middle-income countries facing similar challenges in integrating mental health into cancer care.

3. How will the fellowship support your evolution as a global mental health leader?

I have led multidisciplinary teams and mentored researchers, but translating evidence into system-wide practice remains a challenge. This fellowship will hone my leadership in implementation science, system integration and policy advocacy, working alongside Harvard and AKU experts.

With mentorship and collaboration, I will refine strategies to institutionalize evidence-based interventions, linking mental health with larger health and development systems. Ultimately, this builds toward my goal of leading cross-sectoral projects that bring tangible, life-changing improvements.

4. What unique perspectives or experiences do you bring to this fellowship?

I bring a multidisciplinary lens shaped by over a decade of work across research, clinical care and academic leadership. With a background in medicine, a Master's in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and a PhD, I have focused on mental health and neurocognitive outcomes among cancer patients in low-resource settings. This experience has grounded me in the realities of health systems where stigma, resource constraints and limited mental health infrastructure are everyday challenges.

Beyond research, I have held leadership roles at the departmental and institutional level, giving me insight into how to build systems that balance scientific rigor with community relevance. I am particularly committed to equity and capacity building and have mentored junior researchers and clinicians in mental health. These experiences have shown me that technical knowledge must be paired with cultural humility, community engagement and systems thinking. I look forward to bringing that perspective into this fellowship and continuing to grow as a collaborative leader in global mental health.

5. What advice would you offer to early-career researchers, especially women in science?

Your voice matters. Leadership is shaped by purpose, not position. Fields like mental health and implementation science thrive on curiosity, empath, and interdisciplinary insight.

Having balanced parenthood and a demanding doctorate while rising in my field, I have learned that lived experiences, working in under-resourced settings and mentoring others, are strengths. They shape contextually rich, patient-centered solutions.

So, find mentors, build leadership skills, learn broadly and remain anchored in your why. Impact isn't just in research, even more in making that evidence reach the people who need it most.