PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Professor
Lab Director
[email protected]
PROGRAM SCHOLARS - COHORT 2
Dr. Emily San Diego
Research Scientist
Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute of Scripps Health
I hold an MA in Clinical Psychology and PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and completed my postdoctoral training as a KL2 Scholar in Clinical and Translational Sciences with an emphasis in community-engaged research. My research program integrates community-based participatory research approaches with implementation science frameworks to develop and test strategies that improve the adoption, delivery, and sustainment of evidence-based diabetes management interventions across diverse healthcare settings. My current research portfolio includes several NIH-funded projects, including an NIDDK Diversity Supplemental Award (3R01DK124427-04S1) that applies implementation science methods to enhance the adoption of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in inpatient and transitional care settings, and an NIDDK K01 Career Development Award (1K01DK140528) that focuses on improving CGM uptake and sustained use among insulin-using Latino adults with type 2 diabetes within primary care contexts.
Dr. Courtney Ortz
Research Scientist I
University of Texas Medical Branch
As a gerontological researcher, Dr. Ortz's research focuses on understanding the behavioral and social factors that influence older adults' decisions and abilities to manage their chronic disease, such as type 2 diabetes (T@DM), which are often multifaceted. She was awarded a diversity supplement through the NIDDK that focused on the social needs and risks of older adults who have been diagnosed with T2DM. She continues to develop innovative ways to address the factors influencing older adults' abilities to manage their T2DM self-care behaviors and clinical outcomes.
PROGRAM SCHOLARS - COHORT 1
Dr. Alba Alfonso Garcia
Assistant Professor
UC Davis
I aim to advance the field of translational biophotonics to transform clinical practice. My research interests focus on the detection and monitoring of gastrointestinal health, disease, and therapy through non-destructive multimodal optical imaging. My goal is to make significant contributions to the field of translational biomedical research advancing diagnostic and therapeutic optical imaging solutions.
Luis A Rodriguez, PhD, MPH, RD
Research Scientist I
Kaiser Permanente Northern California
My research focuses on type 2 diabetes prevention and type 2 diabetes management across the life course and aims to identify the causes that contribute to diabetes and inform interventions that address them. My long-term goal is to become an NIH-funded independent investigator working at the intersection of type 2 diabetes prevention & management, including prevention of cardiovascular outcomes. I am currently funded by a K01 career development award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to improve diabetes prevention in adult populations.
Michael Ortega, PhD
PI, Scientist
University of Hawaii
Research in the Ortega lab spans the fields of cellular stress and damage response within the scope of kidney disease. Our lab’s mission is to investigate and deconvolute the fundamental molecular mechanisms that drive chronic inflammation and progressive loss of kidney function in chronic kidney disease (CKD). This endeavor encompasses fundamental molecular and translational strategies, as well as the development of deep learning models to inform our evolving kidney-focused research program. By dissecting the underpinning signaling mechanisms in CKD, we aim to establish a solid foundation for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies that protect, preserve, and restore kidney health.