Today we’d like to introduce you to Mirella Diaz-Santos
Hi Mirella, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story began in Puerto Rico – where I am from. In high school (science and math program), I knew I wanted a career in the sciences intersecting with psychology. At this time, my maternal grandmother began to repeat herself constantly, not remember recent conversations. I thought it was just normal. It wasn’t until my family began to share with me (the oldest granddaughter) that my grandma was diagnosed with “dementia.” She had gotten to her primary care in PR for her annual visit, and the doctor administered a test (which one, we don’t know). She got the label of dementia. She was alone in this medical visit. Meaning that she didn’t tell anybody. My grandmother’s dementia progressed very rapidly. And we didn’t have any information. This was in the early 200o’s. My family had mostly, a HS or AAs academic degrees, and the internet was relatively new at that time in PR. I began college (psychology major) with the intention of understanding this “dementia” and how it changes someone’s behavior so drastically. During college, I was accepted into a undergraduate research program and this program included summer research internships in the US. I went to UCSD, Rutgers University, and Boston University. In Rutgers, I ventured in basic animal neuroscience to understand the mechanisms of neurogenesis in the adult rat neurogenesis. While fascinating, this line of research wasn’t for me. At BU, I found clinical neuropsychology – the field within psychology that studies brain-behavioral relationships through different methods, including cognitive testing, and brain imaging. The field of clinical neuropsychology was at its infancy in PR at that time, and I began applying to graduate school. With no money, I applied to only 4, including BU. I got 1 acceptance. And it was BU. So, at age 22, I left my home and my family and went to Boston, Massachusetts. The first one in my family to enter graduate school. During grad school, I tried my best to merge my vision for understanding Alzheimer’s in the Latino/e communities but the program didn’t have the infrastructure – meaning, no Latina or Latino faculty member or partnerships with local communities. I put a pin on my vision, and focus on learning everything I could in neuropsychology. I did visual psychophysics experiments to understand perceptual rigidity in Parkinson’s disease. While completing my grad school milestones, I kept my intention of understanding neuropsychology and brain through the Latino/e lense – with additional projects. After completing my PhD, I decided to accept an offer at UCLA psychiatry for a post-doctoral fellowship in Latino/e cultural neuropsychology. At that time, the cultural neuropsychology initiative, was one of the few in the US offering evidence-based neuropsychological evaluations for the Latino/e communities in south california – in English, Spanish and bilingual formats. I specialized in bilingual Alzheimer’s. Post graduation from fellowship, I navigated the academic system as a adjunct assistant professor. I was able to secure a small research grant from the national institute on aging (NIA) to study bilingualism as a protective factor against Alzheimer’s. While this was the intention, my department didn’t have the infrastructure to connect, engage, recruit or retain Latino/e communities, CBO’s or individuals. This is where I began exploring the whys (2018). From then to 2021, I searched for all the reasons our Latine communities were not equitably represented in aging and AD clinical research. With this expertise, I began my career as a assistant professor in residence in the department of neurology within the Mary S. Easton. Center for Alzheimer’s Research & Care. I founded my lab – the equity for Latinx-Hispanic Healthy Aging [ELHA] lab – in 2022 implementing community based participatory research (CBPR) approaches. CBPR shifts the emphasis from investigator-led research questions and solutions, to community-led research questions and solutions in the respective area. Our is brain health prevention, and Alzheimer’s disease early detection. We partner with multiple Latino/a/e stakeholders in Los Angeles County to understand the barriers Spanish speaking encounter at the micro macro and exo levels. With the visibility of these barriers, then we co-design and implement innovative solutions for our communities to gain access to dementia clinical care, including access to clinical trials – where the innovative treatments against Alzheimer’s are available.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t. Finding the right mentors take a long time. Being intentional in your approach, your vision and mission, to convey to community stakeholders takes time. Partnering with the stakeholders takes time.
And the academic world wants you to produce non stop, so you’re always behind per their standard. Which means, you can get fire.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an assistant professor in residence in the departments of neurology and psychiatry at UCLA DGSOM. I am a bilingual and bicultural neuropsychologist. Clinically, I specialize in bilingual Alzheimer’s. Scientifically, I specialize in improving access to AD-dementia care for our Spanish speaking Latinos living in Los Angeles County.
I am most proud of my focus on Latino/a/e brain health and implementing CBPR approaches in our research. I am the only Afro-Latina faculty implementing CBPR in Spanish in the department of neurology.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Dancing and playing sports with my family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://elhalab.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elhaucla/?hl=es
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083709112504&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0ngOFSMEU
Image Credits
Mirella Diaz-Santos
