Maria Duarte-Gardea

Maria Duarte-Gardea is a Professor and Department Chair in Public Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Her work focuses on nutrition interventions, chronic disease prevention, and community-based participatory research, particularly among Mexican-American and Hispanic populations in transborder regions. She has led multi-institutional projects like the HEART Study and Mi Corazón Mi Comunidad, integrating physical activity and dietary strategies to improve community health.

Her research spans public health, environmental science, and maternal/child health, with recent publications analyzing:

• Hispanic-serving institutions' role in workforce diversity
• Nutritional biomarkers in aging populations
• Socio-ecological health promotion models during pandemics
• Nutrient-chronic disease interactions
• Environmental impacts of nanoparticles
• Maternal health interventions for gestational diabetes

Recognized as a Leavell Endowed Faculty Fellow, she has served as a reviewer for NIH, CDC, and Salud America. Her work bridges community health initiatives with scientific rigor, emphasizing equity and culturally adapted solutions.