Dr. Tanya Maistry completed her Masters in Anatomy at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), in South Africa. She later pursued a Ph.D. in Cardiovascular Genetics, with a focus on candidate gene polymorphisms related to the risk for Metabolic Syndrome (MeS) in South Africa. Through her findings, she published several research papers evaluating potential genetic determinants for the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in high-risk communities.

Dr. Maistry continued her research career at the department of Cardiology, UKZN being part of a multi-disciplinary lifestyle initiative focusing on finding gene-lifestyle associations against the risk for MetS. During this time, Dr. Maistry established herself within UKZN teaching Anatomy/Biology at various levels to undergraduate medical students. She also served as a bioethics reviewer for several years.

At UMHS, she is an assistant professor in Anatomy. Dr. Maistry is also a member of the European Atherosclerosis Society.