MEMBERS

In LAC-CD we have associates from different countries, distributed in Members, National representatives and Funding members.

Coordinators Members of LAC-CD

In 2024, Dr. Claudia Duran-Aniotz and Dr. Hernando Santamaría-García assumed leadership as LAC-CD coordinators. Looking ahead, 2025 already holds the promise of being another dynamic year for LAC-CD, marked by the launch of several regional and international initiatives. A key priority will be strengthening the epigenetics network, advancing its development, and conducting a comprehensive survey. Notably, we have already published a paper on this topic in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, highlighting our progress and contributions in the field

Claudia Duran-Aniotz

Claudia Duran-Aniotz is a neuroscientist with a Master’s in Immunology and a Doctorate in Biomedicine, specializing in translational dementia research in Latin America. As co-director of the Latin American Institute for Brain Health (BrainLat) at Adolfo Ibáñez University, her mission is to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical application. Her work focuses on identifying biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease and investigating how environmental factors can modulate the biology of dementia.

Through her leadership in major research and clinical collaborations, she seeks to mitigate the social and economic burdens of neurodegenerative disorders. She is actively involved in influential regional initiatives such as the Multi-partner Consortium to Expand Dementia Research in Latin America (ReDLat) and the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium on Dementia (LAC-CD). Additionally, as a member of the Chilean Alzheimer’s Corporation (COPRAD), she is committed to improving the quality of life for patients and their families.

Her dedication extends beyond research; she is passionate about building capacity and fostering the next generation of scientists in Latin America. She advocates for a multidisciplinary approach that integrates rigorous scientific research with community engagement to drive progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Her career and personal goals are centered on advancing scientific understanding and developing effective interventions that can transform patient care in global health contexts.

Hernando Santamaría-García

Hernando Santamaría-García, MD, MSc, PhD, is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist with an established academic and clinical career focused on the neural and social mechanisms underlying neurocognitive disorders, with particular emphasis on social vulnerability, stress, and brain health inequalities. He is Director of the PhD Program in Neuroscience at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and a clinical professor and researcher at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio in Bogotá, Colombia.

His research integrates neuroimaging, electroencephalography, and cognitive assessment to examine how social processes and chronic stress shape brain network dynamics, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline. In parallel, he aims to advance the development and implementation of biomarkers for psychiatric syndromes, promoting biologically informed approaches that bridge psychiatry and neuroscience in clinical and research settings.

He is a Principal Investigator in the ReDLat consortium and serves as a Coordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium on Dementia (LAC-CD), contributing to the development of multicenter regional initiatives aimed at advancing dementia research, strengthening cross-country collaboration, and informing clinical practice and public policy across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Funding Members of LAC-CD

Agustín Ibañez

Agustín Ibañez has a relevant track record on social cognitive and neuroscience, as well as dementia research. With more than 120 publications in the last 5 years, including works in top-ten journals as Nature Reviews Neurology, Nature Human Behavior, Brain, JAMA Neurology, World Psychiatry, Journal of Neuroscience.

In Argentina, he is an independent researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council. In Chile, he is a full professor at the Universidad Adolfo Ibañez. He also is an associate researcher at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders (Australia). He is Senior Atlantic Fellow of the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) at the Univeristy of California San Francisco (UCSF) and he is Associate Editor of Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Cortex, Social Neuroscience, and Scientific Reports, as well as President of the Latin-American section of the Society for Social Neuroscience. His work has been highlighted in media coverage, including the BBC, Nature News, Discovery Channel, Popular Science, Daily Mail, Newsweek, Le Monde, and Oxford University Press.

In the last 5 years, Agustin Ibañez began to move from an exclusive focus on cognitive/social neuroscience and dementia research to the development of a platform to improve prevention, diagnosis, and research of relevant disorders in Latin American countries.

He leads the MULTI-PARTNER CONSORTIUM TO EXPAND DEMENTIA RESEARCH IN LATIN AMERICA (ReDLat) that aims to improve dementia characterization and to develop new advances in dementia treatment in diverse and underserved populations across Latin America—including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru—and the US. These advances will broaden the understanding of the genetic and environmental aspects of frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Mario Parra

Dr. Mario Parra graduated as a Medical Doctor in 1993 and as a Clinical Neurophysiologist in 1997. He worked at the Cuban Neuroscience Centre and at different University Hospitals in Cuba and in Colombia. During his clinical work he focused on neuropsychological and neurophysiological aspects of dementia syndromes and other neurological disorders. He taught neuroscience related subjects in the field of medicine and psychology. His motivation for teaching and research led him to a major career change into academia.

This started with his PhD in 2005 at the University of Edinburgh and continued with three Postdoctoral Fellowships and a position as a Clinical Studies Officer within the NHS Scotland. Dr. Parra was as an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh from 2015 until 2018. He is currently a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. His research interests are Mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal cognitive ageing. Cognitive and behavioural changes in neurodegenerative diseases, with emphasis on Alzheimer’s Disease. The investigation of functional brain changes (fMRI, EEG, ERP, Brain Connectivity) in the course of dementing illnesses and other brain disorders. Development of cognitive tests for the early detection of dementia with emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease. Development of technology-based intervention procedures to enhance functions of everyday life in older people who are experiencing cognitive decline. Dr. Parra also has an interest in the biopsychosocial mechanisms of abnormal behaviours (e.g., violence) in the context of social conflict.

Representatives

Hernando Santamaría García

COLOMBIA

Claudia Duran-Aniotz

CHILE

Andrea Slachevsky

CHILE

Mario Parra

United Kingdom

Agustín Ibáñez

Argentina

Ana Sosa Ortiz

Cuba

Adolfo M. García

ARGENTINA

Ricardo Nitrini

Brazil

José A. Ávila

MÉXICO

David Aguillón

Colombia

Jorge León

Costa Rica

Nilton Custodio

Perú

Juan J. Llibre Rodríguez

Cuba

Antonio Lucio Teixeira

Brasil

Bruce Miller

USA

Carolina Gonzalez

CHILE

Cecilia Gonzalez Campo

ARGENTINA

Claudia Kimie Suemoto

BRASIL

Claudia Miranda-Castillo

CHILE

Claudia Ramos Perez

COLOMBIA

Daisy Acosta

República Dominicana

David Huepe

CHILE

Diana Matallana

COLOMBIA

Dominic Trépel

Ireland

Felipe A. Court

CHILE

Graciela Muniz-Terrera

United Kingdom

Jennifer S. Yokoyama

USA

Juliana Acosta Uribe

USA/COLOMBIA

Katherine L. Possin

USA

Leonel T. Takada

BRASIL

Lissette Duque Peñailillo

ECUADOR

Loreto Olavarría

CHILE

Maira Okada de Oliveira

Brasil

Marcio Soto-Añari

Perú

Maria Isabel Behrens

CHILE

M. Aparecida Camargos B.

Brasil

Maritza Pintado-Caipa

Perú

Oscar L. Lopez

USA

Patricia Lillo Zurita

CHILE

Paulo Caramelli

BRASIL

Rodrigo A. Santibanez

CHILE

Rosa Montesinos

Perú

Sandra Báez

Colombia

Sebastian Moguilner

Argentina

Sergio Ferreira

Brasil

Shireen Javandel

USA

Sonia M.D. Brucki

Brasil

Stefanie Piña Escudero

México

Victor Valcour

USA

NombrePaisSitio / Correo de contacto
Adam BoxerEstados Unidosadam.boxer@ucsf.edu
Adelina Comas-HerreraReino Unidohttp://adelinacohe.com/
Adolfo M. GarcíaArgentinahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/adolfomgarcia/
Agustin IbañezArgentinahttps://dragustinibanez.com/
Alberto Avila FunesMéxicoavilafunes@live.com.mx
Alberto Nuñez HerreraEcuadorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alberto-nu%C3%B1ez-44374a25/
Alejandra Guerrero BarragánColombiahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alejaneurodementia/
Alex KornhuberPerúwww.alex-kornhuber.com
Alyne MendonçaBrasilwww.alynemendonca.med.br
Ana Carolina OttavianiBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/6355920916125637
Ana Luisa Sosa OrtízMéxicohttps://www.researchgate.net/search.Search.html?type=publicat
André PalmeiraMéxicohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-palmeira/
Andrea SlachevskyChilehttps://scholar.google.cl/citations?hl=es&user=XjFq3S
Andres DamianUruguayhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-d-7708b071/
Antonio Lucio TeixeiraBrasilaltexr@gmail.com
Bárbara Costa BeberBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/4630580158996286
Benito DamascenoBrasildamascen@unicamp.br
Brenda PerezMéxicobrenda.perez@gbhi.org
Bruce MillerEstados Unidoshttps://profiles.ucsf.edu/bruce.miller
Carlos AlexanderPerúcarlos.alexander.alva@gmail.com
Carlos AlvaPerúcarlos.alexander.alva@gmail.com
Carmelia Rodriguez-SackByrneEstados Unidoscamellia.rodriguez-sackbyrne@gbhi.org
Carolina GonzalezChile
Carolina SemperteguiEstados Unidoscarolina.sempertegui@yahoo.com
Cecilia Gonzalez CampoArgentinahttps://www.udesa.edu.ar/centro-de-neurociencia
Cecilia M SerranoArgentinahttps://www.alma-alzheimer.org.ar/es/quienes-somos/staff
Ceres FerrettiBrasilhttp://linkedin.com/in/ceres-ferretti
Chris ButlerReino Unidohttps://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/christopher.butler
Christian Gonzalez-BillaultChilehttps://www.gerochile.cl/
Ciara PowerIrlandahttps://www.gbhi.org/ciara-power
Claudia Duran-AniotzChile
Claudia Kimie SuemotoBrasilhttp://en.gerolab.com.br/steering-committee/
Claudia Miranda-CastilloChilehttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Claudia_Miranda-Castillo
Claudia RamosColombiahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiaramosp/
Cristian Vargas MendozaEcuadorcristiandanielvargasmendoza@gmail.com
Cristina Leon DominguezEcuadorcrieledo@gmail.com
Daisy AcostaRepública Dominicanadaisyacosta1125@gmail.com
Daniel ValerioCosta Ricadanielvalerio0@gmail.com
David Alejandro OrozcoArgentinahttp://www.viewmind.com.ar/
David HuepeChilehttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Huepe
David Lira MamaniPerúwww.ipn.pe
David QuizhpeEcuadordavidquizhpe@outlook.es
Debora Lee ViannaBrasildeboraleevp@gmail.com
Diana MatallanaColombiadianamat@javeriana.edu.co
Dominic TrépelIrlandahttps://www.gbhi.org/dominic-trepel
Eliane C MiottoBrasilecmiotto@usp.br
Elisa de Paula FrançaBrasilelisafranca86@yahoo.com.br
Erick Miranda ValverdeBrasilemirandaval@gmail.com
Erika GuartazacaEcuadoreripao123@hotmail.com
Erika M. Longoria IbarrolaMéxicohttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Em_Longoria-Ibarrola
Esteban AguirreEcuadorlinkedin.com/in/esteban-aguirre-salvador-222ab9143
Fábio Henrique de GobbiBrasilhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fabio_Porto2
Fabrício Joao PioBrasilfabriciopio1@gmail.com
Fanny MacanchiEcuadorfmacanchi@yahoo.com
Felipe A. CourtChilehttps://cib.umayor.cl
Fernanda de FeliceBrasilfelice@bioqmed.ufrj.br
Fernanda MolinaEcuadormafer_ml@hotmail.com
Fernando Coto YglesiasCosta Ricafernandocoto@icloud.com
Fiona KumforAustráliahttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fiona_Kumfor
Francisco FaicanEcuadorfranciscofaican@gmail.com
Francisco GolcherMéxicohttps://doctorgolcher.com/
Francisco LoperaColombiahttps://www.gna.org.co/
Gonzalo Farías GontupilChilehttps://www.topdoctors.cl/doctor/gonzalo-andres-farias-gontupil/?of
Graciela Muniz-TerreraReino Unidohttps://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-graciela-muniz-terrera
Heather SnyderEstados Unidoshsnyder@alz.org
Hector SteeleCosta Ricahectorasteele@gmail.com
Henrique GuimaraesBrasilhcerqueirag@gmail.com
Henry EnglerUruguayhenry.engler@cudim.org
Hernando Santamaría GarcíaColombiahttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hernando_Santamaria-Garcia3
Ignacio MataEstados Unidoshttps://www.lerner.ccf.org/gmi/mata/
Ioannis TarnanasEstados Unidoshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tarnanas/
Irene B. MeierBrasilhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/irene-meier-42bba2121/
Ivan AprahamianBrasilhttps://twitter.com/IAprahamian
Jean GajardoChilehttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jean_Gajardo
Jennie GubnerEstados Unidosjennie.gubner@gbhi.org
Jennifer S. YokoyamaEstados Unidoshttps://yokoyamalab.ucsf.edu
Jerson LaksBrasiljersonlaks@gmail.com
Jerusa SmidBrasilhttps://www.cnnaneuro.com.br/equipe/dra-jerusa-smid/
Jessica CáceresEcuadorcacceresjp@gmail.com
Jorge J Llibre GuerraCubahttp://gbhi.org/
Jorge Mario Leon SalasCosta Ricahttps://www.clinicabiblica.com/es/jorge-leon-salas
Jorge OksenbergEstados UnidosJorge.Oksenberg@ucsf.edu
Jose A. Silie RuizRepública Dominicanajoseasilieruiz@hotmail.com
José Cuenca AlfaroPerúhttp://www.ipn.pe
Jose Luiz CavalcantiBrasilsoneuro@uol.com.br
Jose QuinchiguangoEcuadordr.jqcisneros@gmail.com
Jose SantacruzColombiajose.santacruz@javeriana.edu.co
Josefa ViñánEcuadorjosefaesc@hotmail.com
Juan Felipe CardonaColombiahttps://neurounivalle.com
Juan LliebreCubajuan.llibrer@gmail.com
Juana VicuñaChilepaty_vicu312@hotmail.com
Julian BustinArgentinahttps://twitter.com/julianbustin
Juliana Acosta UribeE,U,/Colombiaacostauribe@ucsb.edu
Karen Muñoz ChambaEcuadorkarenstefanikl@hotmail.es
Karla QuintanillaEcuadorkarlaquintanilla8@gmail.com
Katherine L. PossinEstados Unidoshttps://memory.ucsf.edu/people/katherine-possin-phd
Kenneth S. KosikEstados Unidoskosik@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Kristhy ChavezPerúkristhy.chavez@upch.pe
Laís FajersztajnBrasilhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/la%C3%ADs-fajersztajn-7852ab29/
Laura MorelliArgentinalmorelli@leloir.org.ar
Lea Tenenholz GrinbergEstados UnidosLea.grinberg@ucsf.edu
Leonardo Cruz de SouzaBrasilhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Leonardo_Cruz_De_Souza
Leonel T. TakadaBrasilhttps://scholar.google.com.br/citations?user=YJd1CvsAAAAJ&hl=pt-BR
Lissette Duque PeñaililloEcuadorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lissette-duque-2653a635/
Loreto OlavarríaChilehttp://linkedin.com/in/loreto-olavarria-68b94349
Lucas SchillingBrasillucaspschilling@gmail.com
Luis Arnoldo MuñozMéxicoarnoldo.munoz@gbhi.org
Luzmila CuchiparteEcuadorani_luzvero88@hotmail.com
M. Aparecida Camargos B.Brasilmacbicalho@gmail.com.
Maira Okada de OliveiraBrasilhttps://www.gbhi.org/maira-okada-de-oliveira
Maira Tonidandel BarbosaBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/7320955271987119
Marcelo KauffmanArgentinawww.marcelokauffman.com
Marcio L. F. BalthazarBrasilhttps://www.brainn.org.br/marcio-luiz-figueredo-balthazar/
Marcio Soto-AñariPerúhttps://dina.concytec.gob.pe/appDirectorioCTI/
María Belén Bustos CruzEcuadorcleopatragatuchita@gmail.com
Maria CarrilloEstados Unidosmcarrillo@alz.org
Maria CriolloEcuadorcriollomela@gmail.com
Maria Isabel BehrensChilebehrensl@uchile.cl
Mario Parra RodriguezReino Unidohttps://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/parrarodriguezmariodr/
Maritza Pintado-CaipaPerúmaritza.pintadocaipa@gbhi.org
Martha IngaEcuadordramarthaij@gmail.com
Martha Unaucho PEcuadorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-unaucho-304787123
Meiraci CássiaBrasilmeiracimalheiros@gmail.com
Mirna Lie HosogiBrasilhttps://www.cnnaneuro.com.br/equipe/dra-mirna-lie-hosogi-
Monica Pacurucu JaraEcuadormepacurucu@gmail.com
Mônica Sanches YassudaBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/0754786947169577
Myriam De la Cruz PueblaEcuadormyriam.delacruzpuebla@gbhi.org
Nancy QuinchiguangoEcuadormaguicis2502@gmail.com
Nicole Rogers C.Chilewww.nrogersc.com
Nilton CustodioPerúhttps://niltoncustodio.wixsite.com/neurologia
Noelia WeisstaubArgentinahttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Noelia_Weisstaub
Norberto Ferreira FrotaBrasilhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Norberto_Frota
Olivier PiguetAustráliahttps://www.sydney.edu.au/science/about/our-
Oscar L. LopezEstados Unidoshttps://www.adrc.pitt.edu/contact/
Pablo TapiaArgentinapablotapia721@gmail.com
Patricia GarciaPerúpatricia.garcia@upch.pe
Patricia Lillo ZuritaChilehttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patricia_Lillo
Patricia SolisArgentinahttp://www.enys.conicet.gob.ar/
Patricio FuentesChilepfuentes@hcuch.cl
Paulina V. ArriagadaChilearriagadapau@saludaysen.cl
Paulo BertolucciBrasilbertolucci.paulo@unifesp.br
Paulo CaramelliBrasilhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paulo_Caramelli
Pedro BekinschteinArgentinahttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pedro_Bekinschtein
Raffaele FerrariReino Unidohttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Raffaele_Ferrari2
Renata Eloah de LucenaBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/4049473460911945
Renata KochhannBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/1936734613572632
Ricardo NitriniBrasilricardo.nitrini@hc.fm.usp.br
Rick MyersEstados Unidosrmyers@hudsonalpha.org
Roberta Diehl RodriguezBrasilhttps://scholar.google.com/citations?user
Rodrigo A. SantibanezChilehttps://medicina.uc.cl/persona/dr-rodrigo-santibanez-m/
Rodrigo Bernardo SerafimBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/9853689627217083
Rodrigo VazquezChilervasquez@uchile.cl
Ronnielly MeloBrasilwww.neurocomportamentobh.com
Rosa MontesinosPerúhttp://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rosa_Montesinos2/2
Sandra BáezColombiahttps://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=es&user
Sandra EncaladaEstados Unidosencalada@scripps.edu
Sebastian MoguilnerArgentinahttps://www.gbhi.org/sebastian-moguilner
Serggio LanataPerúhttps://www.ucsfhealth.org/providers/dr-serggio-lanata
Sergio DansilioUruguayhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergio_Dansilio
Sergio FerreiraBrasilhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergio_Ferreira8
Sergio T. FerreiraBrasilhttps://www.ferreiralab.org
Shireen JavandelEstados UnidosShireen.Javandel@ucsf.edu
Silvia KochenArgentinahttps://enys.conicet.gov.ar
Silvia MerlinBrasilssmerlin@usp.br
Sonia M.D. BruckiBrasilorcid.org/0000-0002-8303-6732
Stefanie Piña EscuderoMéxicostefanie.pina-escudero@gbhi.org
Tamires Alves SarnoBrasilhttp://lattes.cnpq.br/3553493414158654
Teresa TorralvaArgentinahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-torralva-b9286b27/?orig
Thais Bento Lima da SilvaBrasilgerontologathais@gmail.com
Tomás León RodríguezChilehttps://twitter.com/squallchileno
Victor ValcourEstados UnidosVictor.Valcour@ucsf.edu
Walter DawsonEstados Unidoswalter.dawson@gbhi.org
Yahaira BecerraPerúhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yahaira_Becerra
Yakeel T. QuirozEstados Unidoshttps://mapp.mgh.harvard.edu/
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