Page 35 - UPAAA GRC '21 Souvenir Journal

2021 UPAAA Distinguished Alumni
ni

N B C , P D

2021 UPAAA Dis nguished Alumna in Science and Technology
• Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences; Affiliate Faculty, Nevada In-
s tute of Personalized Medicine; Affiliate Faculty, Neuroscience Universi-
ty of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
• Conducts research funded by NIH & NSF on molecular mechanisms that
lead to blindness and in developing treatment for Alzheimer’s disease;
with one approved collabora ve patent and one pending (as the sole in-
ventor for a novel Alzheimer’s therapy).
• Author of 35 peer-reviewed, high impact research ar cles.
• Recruits and trains the next genera on of scien sts & health profession-
als. Mentored 3 postdocs, 3 PhD students & over 35 undergraduates.
• Recruits and supports graduate students from UP Visayas and UP Diliman
at UNLV; support scholars at UP Los Banos, UP Iloilo and UP Visayas;
community outreach Filipino high school students to pursue STEM fields.
• Earned her PhD in Gene cs & Cell Biology, 2005, Washington State Uni-
versity; MS in Developmental Biology, 1999, UP Visayas, and BS Biology,
1992, UP Los Banos.

S C ‐E , MD

2021 UPAAA Dis nguished Alumna in Pediatric Gene cs

• Medical Director 1, Appeals, Health Care Services Corpora on, Blue
Cross/Blue Shield, June 2015 to present.
• John H. Stroger, Jr Hospital of Cook County (aka Cook County Hospi-
tal): Chair, Division of Gene cs and Metabolism, 2003 to 2015;
A ending Physician, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gene cs,
1991 to 2015
• Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics: Rush University Medi-
cal Center, Chicago, Illinois; Site Director for Core Pediatrics Educa-
on, Rush University Medical Center, Rush Medical College, 2004 –
2015.
• Expanded services within the Pediatrics Gene cs clinic; established
the Adult Gene cs Clinic; obtained an appointment as head of the
Pathology services for Gene cs; expanded Laboratory services to test
the pa ents for cancer muta ons like BRCA at Cook County Hospital.
• Provided leadership role as President of UPMASA; Chair, UPMASA
Board of Governors, and President, UPMASA Chicago Chapter.
• Earned her MD from UP in 1979 & BS Pre-Med from UP Diliman in
1975.