About Me
I am a physician-scientist board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases, with clinical expertise in diagnosing and managing complex infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. I am deeply committed to advancing clinical care, infection prevention, and patient and family education.
As part of the Department of Pediatrics research program, I lead epidemiological studies on pediatric hepatitis C in the Charlotte metropolitan area, focusing on identifying barriers to screening and diagnosis. My team is actively engaged in optimizing early detection, screening, and treatment pathways to improve outcomes for children.
My broader research portfolio features collaborative projects investigating the etiology of acute diarrheal disease in children and developing novel alternative tools to control infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. My scholarly productivity is reflected in more than 100 publications—including peer-reviewed research articles, review articles, editorials, books, and book chapters—as well as two co-invented vaccine patents.
My commitment to excellence has been recognized with multiple awards including research grant awards from the National Institutes of Health and private foundations, the Best Teaching Award from the Universidad de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia and the Community Service Award of Excellence for Promoting Inclusion and Cultural Diversity from the State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, NY.
I earned my medical degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá and my PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. I completed my postdoctoral research fellowship at the Max Planck Institute of Biology in Tübingen, Germany, my residency in pediatrics at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, and my fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Outside of the clinic and laboratory, I direct an educational initiative focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) for school-aged children in underserved regions of low- and middle-income countries. Through this program, children explore the microbial world using portable paper microscopes (“Foldscopes”) provided for hands-on learning. The program has driven a measurable impact on infection prevention by increasing hand hygiene compliance and building awareness around the importance of potable water.
To view all of my publications, please visit my official profile on the National Library of Medicine.