Melissa Flores

Melissa Flores is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona in the Department of Psychology. She serves as the Clinical Director of the Health Equity Analytics Lab (HEAL), focusing on social and structural factors influencing health disparities, biopsychosocial models, and quantitative methods.

• Education:
  • B.A., University of Texas, Austin (2009)
  • M.S., Arizona State University (2014)
  • Ph.D., University of Arizona (2018)

Her research investigates social networks in cardiovascular health, neighborhood effects on metabolic diseases, and health disparities among older adults and Latina/o/x populations. Recent work includes studies on mindfulness interventions, ethnic density protections, and structural racism during the pandemic.

Her recent publications focus on allostatic load, social capital, and health equity across public health, behavioral medicine, and social epidemiology. She is actively involved in mentoring and accepts research assistants (RA).

• Labs/Teams:
  • Health Equity Analytics Lab (HEAL)