October 8, 2020
HJF teammate, Mario Oyola, PhD, was recently named to Cell Mentor’s list of 100 Inspiring Hispanic/Latinx Scientists in America. Oyola works with the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine and has been with HJF for the past two years. His research is focused on understanding how the brain interacts with the endocrine system, and how its dysregulation may worsen or impact traumatic brain injuries.
Oyola is from Puerto Rico and attended Baylor College of Medicine, obtaining a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. As a scientist, he notes that his upbringing in Puerto Rico gives him resilience, perseverance, and a positive attitude. “Science is problem-solving,” remarks Dr. Oyola, “and no matter how challenging the question is, being from Puerto Rico means we always try to get after it with a smile.”
Oyola finds pride in the work he is doing to understand blast injuries as it can directly impact the Hispanic community within the services. “Military medicine is relevant to the Hispanic community,” says Dr. Oyola, “because our community is affected by things like hypertension and diabetes. These illnesses and their interaction with traumatic brain injuries can be addressed through population-specific interventions the military is researching and funding.”
Oyola’s work is being conducted at the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, a research center within the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences based in Bethesda, Maryland.