February 25, 2025
Murat Karabulut, PhD, FACSM, CSCS, CEP
Dr. Murat Karabulut is the Associate Dean for Research and a Professor in the College of Health Professions at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he has been a faculty member since 2008. His research focuses on developing non-pharmacological interventions to prevent health issues and enhance the well-being of individuals with metabolic, cardiovascular, and age-related health problems. He holds 2 of the most recognized certifications in his field and serves as a reviewer for various academic journals and is a member of several professional organizations. Dr. Murat Karabulut, in his role as Associate Dean for Research, spearheads the development and continuation of research endeavors. He actively identifies and resolves challenges that hinder faculty progress in research, while also collaborating with the dean's leadership team to orchestrate research-oriented initiatives.
January 14, 2025
Andrea S Méndez C., MD, PhD
Andrea Mendez Colmenares, MD, PhD, is a medical doctor from Maracaibo, Venezuela, and a neurology resident at Duke University. She earned her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from Colorado State University, where her research focused on white matter decline and plasticity in aging populations using advanced MRI techniques. At Duke, Dr. Mendez is dedicating her research to addressing neurocognitive disparities in aging and promoting health equity in Latino populations. She aims to become a behavioral neurologist in Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias and continue advocating for underrepresented minorities in science and medicine.
October 22, 2024
Matthew Dacso, MD, MSc, FACP
Dr. Dacso is the Director of the Charles E. Cheever, Jr. Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics and a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He is a general internal medicine clinician, educator, and global health practitioner whose work focuses on developing academic-community partnerships that improve health and address health inequities both at home and around the world. In his various roles in educational leadership, he has worked to instill into learners an ethical, humanistic, and transdisciplinary approach to clinical medicine, global and community health, and public health research. During that time, he has formed partnerships with institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean that center on student, resident, and faculty collaborations rooted in the values of relationships, respect, and reciprocity.
October 8, 2024
Lorena Flores Hernandez, OD
Dr. Lorena Flores-Hernandez is a board certified Optometrist at UT Health RGV and
Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the UTRGV School of Medicine. With over 16 years of advanced medical experience, Dr. Flores-Hernandez uses the latest technology and medical advancements in optometry to provide patients of all ages with the highest level of vision care. Dr. Flores-Hernandez diagnoses and provides services and treatments for patients with glaucoma, dry & red eye, eye pain, vision loss and color vision, along with cataract pre and post-surgical care, foreign body removal, and more. Dr. Flores-Hernandez is board certified by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and specializes in glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.
Additionally, Dr. Flores-Hernandez is a member of several notable organizations such as the American Optometric Association, the Texas Optometric Association, the Rio Grande Valley Optometric Society, and the Optometric Student Association.
September 24, 2024
Jeremy Tanner, M.D.
Dr. Jeremy Tanner is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio and REC Scholar at the South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. At the Biggs Clinic, he cares for patients and families affected by a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases and other disorders affecting cognition. He also leads multidisciplinary clinics to provide comprehensive care for patients and families affected by Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and by Early-Onset Dementia. His research broadly focuses on the clinical translation and use of biomarkers to improve early detection, accurate diagnosis, and care for families affected by neurodegenerative diseases. He is also engaged in global neurology and the use of biomarkers to improve care in resource-limited settings.
September 10, 2024
Maria Mora Pinzon, MD, MS, FACPM
Dr. Mora Pinzon is a physician-scientist, board certified in Preventive Medicine and Public Health. She is currently an assistant professor on the tenure track at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Her work seeks to improve healthcare access for patients living with dementias and their caregivers, particularly among Latino populations. Among her awards, she was selected as 2018 Young Physician of the year by the National Hispanic Medical Association, and 2020 William Kane Rising Start Award from the American College of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Mora Pinzon is a REC scholar with the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and received a K99/R00 from the National Institute of Aging to fund her project “Improving Access to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia’s Care Services for Latinx Individuals at Community Health Clinics”.
August 27, 2024
David K Johnson, M.A., Ph.D
Dr. Johnson is a Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, specializing in clinical and neuropsychological assessment of healthy aging and dementia, as well as advanced longitudinal research methodology. As director of the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center – East Bay San Francisco, he oversees the clinical-cognitive assessment of hundreds of older adults annually. With over 25 years of experience supporting patients and families affected by dementia, he serves as an expert diagnostician, care consultant, and therapist, helping families navigate the challenges of late-life chronic neurological diseases. His primary academic focus is on the biological bases of behavior that delineate healthy aging from dementia. Dr. Johnson's research aims to enhance the sensitivity and specificity of cognitive and biological markers for Alzheimer’s disease and to develop clinical interventions to slow disease progression, while considering the impact of dementia on individuals and their supporting social networks.
July 2, 2024
Jesus Melgarejo, M.D., Ph.D
Dr. Melgarejo is an assistant professor of Neuroscience at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine and a RCMAR Scholar. He is a physician-scientist devoted to multidisciplinary clinical and epidemiological research. His long-term research interest and strategic focus are towards elucidating the contribution of 24-h blood pressure, the development and progression of neurological age-related diseases such as glaucoma diseases, cerebral small vessle diseases, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s Disease, and cardiovascular complications. Dr. Melgarejo aims to improve the risk stratification of age-related diseases by understanding circadian rhythms and variability in blood pressure.. He has a profound understanding of how to conduct innovative and practicable research to test hypotheses necessary to change public health actions and clinical practice, especially in underserved areas. The last is based on his work and interaction with the Maracaibo Aging Study in Venezuela since 2009. In recognition for his contributions, he received the American Heart Association’s Award for Support of Underrepresented Minorities in 2023.
January 19, 2021
Brittany Duggar, Ph.D.
Dr. Brittany Dugger is a trained neuropathologist/neuroanatomist. She is currently an Assistant Professor of the Departments of Pathobiology and Laboratory Medicine at University of California, Davis. She earned her BS in microbiology/Health and Humanities from Michigan State University and her PhD in Neurobiology of Disease from Mayo Clinic Graduate School. She completed a postdoc in Neuropathology at Banner Sun Health Research Institute. Her research focuses on understanding the heterogeneity within neurodegenerative diseases and the interaction of peripheral changes to aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
October 20, 2020
Jill Goldstein, Ph.D.
Dr. Jill Goldstein is a Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Executive Director of the Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She earned her AB in psychological anthropology from Brown University, and her MPH, M. Phil, and Ph.D. in Epidemiology in Psychiatry from Columbia University. She completed a postdoc in Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School. She is a clinical neuroscientist and expert in understanding sex differences in health and diseases associated with the central nervous system.
October 13, 2020
Darren Gitelman, M.D.
Dr. Darren Gitelman received his M.D. degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed the Internal Medicine residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City and was later chief resident of Neurology at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Currently, Dr. Gitelman is the senior medical director of the Advocate Medical Center, professor of Neurology at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, and adjunct associate professor of Neurology and Radiology at Northwestern University, all located in Chicago, Illinois. His primary area of expertise is neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
September 29, 2020
Debra L. Cherry, Ph.D.
Dr. Debra Cherry is a clinical psychologist and the Executive Vice President of Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, a community-based non-profit dedicated to supporting people living with dementia and their caregivers. Dr. Cherry earned her Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College of the City, University of New York, and her master's degree and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Southern California. Additionally, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Geriatric Psychology at the Neuropsychiatric Institute of UCLA. Her work has focused on improving dementia health care as well as its access to underserved communities.
September 8, 2020
Nate Bergman, D.O., MBA
Dr. Nate Bergman is the Chief Scientific Wellness Officer of the Kemper Center for Cognitive Health & Wellness. He earned his DO from Kansas City University, where he also obtained his board certification in Internal Medicine. He completed a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine with emphasis on optimizing the aging brain and body at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.
August 11, 2020
Gagan Wig, Ph.D.
Dr. Gagan Wig is an Associate Professor in the Center for Vital Longevity and School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, and in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Wig earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from Dartmouth College. He did postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University and Washington University in St. Louis with the Human Connectome Project.
July 7, 2020
Carlos Barrero, M.D.
Dr. Carlos Barrero is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Temple University School of Pharmacy and an active member of the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research. He received his medical degree from Universidad de Caldas, in Manizales, Colombia. Later, he completed his postdoctoral fellowship at Temple University School of Medicine in the laboratories of Dr. Salim Merali.
March 17, 2020
Oanh Le Meyer, Ph.D., M.A.S.
Dr. Oanh Le Meyer received her Ph.D. in social psychology and her Masters in Advanced Study in Clinical Research at the University of California Davis where she is also currently serving as an Assistant Adjunct Professor. She studies cognitive and mental health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities and older adults from the population level as well as at the individual level. Her current research interests include dementia caregiving and mental health, social determinants of cognitive decline associated with dementia, and geographic disparities in mental health for older adults.
