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UTRGV 10th Anniversary
Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center
School of Medicine
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RCMAR Scientists

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Contact Us

Gladys E. Maestre, MD, PhD

Director
Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center
gladys.maestre@utrgv.edu
(956) 882-7594
Fax: (956) 665-9797

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Cohort 1 (2018-2019)

Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD

Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Neuroscience
UTRGV School of Medicine

Designing an environmental enrichment intervention to improve quality of life of caretakers of persons with dementia

Mario Gil, PhD

Mario Gil, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychological Science
UTRGV

Role of AVPR1A gene in psychosocial stress, cognitive performance, and health outcomes in older Hispanics/Latinos

Email: mario.gil@utrgv.edu

Juan Lopez-Alvarenga, MD, DSc

Juan Lopez-Alvarenga, MD, DSc

Assistant Professor

Department of Human Genetics and South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute
UTRGV School of Medicine

VAscular DEmentia Research (VADER) Pilot Project at Rio Grande Valley

Email: juan.lopezalvarenga@utrgv.edu

Cohort 2 (2019-2020)

Marcio A. Almeida, PhD

Marcio A. Almeida, PhD

Assistant Professor of Research

Department of Human Genetics and South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute
UTRGV School of Medicine

Search for novel endophenotypes predicting risk of dementia in Mexican Americans

Email: marcio.almeida@utrgv.edu

Romeo Luis Escobar, PhD

Romeo Luis Escobar, PhD

Assistant Professor

School of Social Work
UTRGV

Characteristics of Mexican American Alzheimer’s Caregivers within the South Texas-Mexico Border Region

Ana Cristina Leandro, PhD

Ana Cristina Leandro, PhD

Assistant Professor of Research

Department of Human Genetics and South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute
UTRGV School of Medicine

Epigenetic influences on Alzheimer’s disease risk

Email: ana.leandro@utrgv.edu

Cohort 3 (2020-2021)

Upal Roy, PhD

Upal Roy, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences
UTRGV College of Health Professions

The Genetic Basis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in Hispanic Americans affected by Type-2 Diabetes (T2D)

Email: upal.roy@utrgv.edu

Bernard Fongang, PhD

Bernard Fongang, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology and the Department of Population and Health Sciences
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Association between the gut microbiome and dementia

Email: fongang@uthscsa.edu

Cohort 4 (2021-2022)

Candace A. Robledo, PhD, MPH

Candace A. Robledo, PhD, MPH

Assistant Professor

Department of Population Health & Biostatistics
UTRGV School of Medicine

Examining the contribution of persistent organic pollutant exposures on mild cognitive impairment in Mexican Americans

Email: candace.robledo@utrgv.edu

Mikko Kuokkanen, PhD

Mikko Kuokkanen, PhD

Assistant Professor of Research

Department of Human Genetics
UTRGV School of Medicine

Lipidomic correlates of mild cognitive impairment

Email: mikko.kuokkanen@utrgv.edu

Lin Jiang, PhD

Lin Jiang, PhD

Assistant Professor

UTRGV School of Social Work

Decreasing social isolation among Mexican American informal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease during the COVID-19 era: The utilization of technology

Email: lin.jiang@utrgv.edu

Cohort 5 (2022-2023)

Kim Nguyen-Finn, PhD, LPC

Kim Nguyen-Finn, PhD, LPC

Assistant Professor

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling, College of Health Professions

Promoting Transcendence for Hispanics with Alzheimer’s Through Music Playlists

Email: kim.finn01@utrgv.edu

Mayra Estrella, PhD

Mayra Estrella, PhD

Assistant Professor

UT School of Public Health Brownsville Campus

Socioenvironmental support systems and brain health among Latinos

Liza Talavera-Garza, PhD

Liza Talavera-Garza, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychological Sciences

Social engagement and cognitive function among Latino older adults of Mexican descent: An exploratory study of social engagement as a target for cognitive decline interventions.

Email: liza.talaveragarza@utrgv.edu

Cohort 6 (2023-2025)

Xi Mao, PhD

Xi Mao, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Economics

Occupational Determinants and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia

Email: xi.mao@utrgv.edu

Lisa Salinas, PhD, RDN, LD

Lisa Salinas, PhD, RDN, LD

Assistant Professor

Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences

The Relationship Between Baseline Intake of Pulses and Markers of Cardiovascular and Cognitive Health in an Aging Venezuelan Population

Email: lisa.salinas@utrgv.edu

Jesus David Melgarejo Arias, MD, PhD

Jesus David Melgarejo Arias, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Neuroscience

Influences of Limited Access to Health Care on MRI AD-Relevant Brain Measures

Email: jesus.melgarejo@utrgv.edu

Cohort 7 (2025-2026)

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Amit Raysoni, PhD

Associate Professor

Association between Fine Particulate Matter Exposure and Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease in Hispanic-Latino Community of Rio Grande Valley

Email: amit.raysoni@utrgv.edu

Jose Cano, MD

Jose Cano, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Social and Biological Determinants of Alzheimer's Disease Risk in Hispanic Primary Care Patients in the Rio Grande Valley

Email: jose.cano@utrgv.edu

Zhuanzhuan Ma, PhD

Zhuanzhuan Ma, PhD

Assistant Professor

Empowering Hispanic Communities: A Data-Driven Approach to Alzheimer’s Risk Prediction

Email: zhuanzhuan.ma@utrgv.edu

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Edinburg, TX 78541
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Harlingen, TX 78550
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One West University Boulevard,
Brownsville, TX 78520
(956) 296-1600

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