Project Title: Toward Accurate Cardiovascular Disease Prediction in Hispanics/Latinos: Modeling Risk and Resilience Factors
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Arizona
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Grant ID: R00HL157611
Melissa Flores grew up in Midland, Texas, with avid curiosity about the natural and social world. Her interest in social dynamics and health was sparked during her undergraduate research at the University of Texas at Austin and her early community involvement in behavioral health. Pursuing this passion, she obtained her PhD in family studies and human development, along with a minor in biostatistics, from the University of Arizona. Following her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Flores joined The Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona as an assistant professor.
As an interdisciplinary scientist, her primary focus is on understanding the complex interplay of social and structural factors contributing to health disparities within the Latina/o/x community and other historically excluded populations. Using a resilience focused lens, she employs advanced quantitative methods to model social environments. Her goal is to establish links between these environments and health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease. Dr. Flores is deeply committed to nurturing diversity in academia and serves as an active mentor for students ranging from middle school to graduate level.