Yusuf Rafiqzad

Yusuf Rafiqzad serves as NSHF’s Clinical Research Assistant. He graduated with a degree in Clinical Neuroscience with Magna Cum Laude distinction from Virginia Tech in 2022, and has prior experience working in both direct patient-facing roles and research. Prior to joining NSHF, he worked at the Virginia Spine Institute as an EMG technician and medical assistant, an experience that allowed him to be in a position to work closely with and directly impact the lives of the patients he served.

His prior research position was conducted at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion. There, he was an undergraduate research assistant in the Robel Lab focusing on the cellular and molecular effects of traumatic brain injury on astrocytic and neuronal function. Through his time as an undergraduate researcher, he was able to amass honors such as the “Outstanding Researcher Award” in the school of Neuroscience in 2022, experience presenting at multiple research conferences, and is an author on a peer-reviewed neuroscience research publication. Yusuf ultimately has aspirations of attending medical school and becoming a physician, and aims to continue research while attending medical school.