Academic record and professional history

San Diego, CA · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/ivan-valdez-phd · Updated November 2026.

Education

• University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center — M.D. Program (non-degree)

  UT Southwestern Medical School · Dallas, TX

  2022–2026

  • Completed the preclinical curriculum and the core clinical clerkships; passed USMLE Step 1 (2024); withdrew voluntarily in the fourth year (2026).

• Harvard University — PhD, Biological & Biomedical Sciences

  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Conferred May 2016. · Cambridge, MA

  2010–2016

  • Dissertation at Harvard Medical School / Joslin under Rohit N. Kulkarni, MD, PhD: The Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines on Pancreatic Cell Plasticity. Open access: dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/33493499

• University of Texas at Brownsville — BS, Biology, Summa Cum Laude

  Texas Southmost College · Brownsville, TX

  2007–2010

  • Associate of Arts, 2008.

Academic appointment

• Lecturer II, Department of Biology — University of San Diego

  San Diego, CA

  Fall 2026

Teaching & mentoring

• BIOL 212 Anatomy & Physiology I — University of San Diego

  Lecture and laboratory, section 04, for students preparing for allied health careers.

  Fall 2026

  • Case-based lectures with active-learning questions; a formative vocabulary check each lecture; individualized feedback on returned exams and lab quizzes; a lab practical study guide and mock practicals.
  • Began USD's IRB process to study the vocabulary check as scholarship of teaching.

• Volunteer Facilitator — Carson Elementary STEAM Day (USD–Linda Vista partnership)

  San Diego, CA

  2026

  • Designed a hands-on station for TK–5 students: an anatomy model, then a game on insulin and sugar.
  • Scheduled for November 6, 2026, as part of USD's partnership with the school.

• Founder & Science Educator — Science Tutoring

  2014–present

  • One-on-one science tutoring, high school through medical school.

• Science Mentor — HPREP

  Boston, MA and Dallas, TX

  2014, 2023

  • Mentored high-school students on STEM careers and college applications.

• Research Mentor — UT Health San Antonio

  San Antonio, TX

  2019–2021

  • Mentored high-school, undergraduate, PhD, and MD-PhD trainees.
  • Carried each from project design to a symposium presentation; several went on to external conferences.

• Science Fair Project Reviewer — Faulk Middle School, Brownsville ISD

  Brownsville, TX

  2019

  • Reviewed and approved students' microbiology projects: design, controls, and biosafety training.

• Volunteer Instructor — HMS-KIDS (Harvard Medical School–Kindling Interest in Doing Science)

  Boston, MA

  2011

  • Co-taught the microbiology lesson in a two-week summer science camp for Boston middle-school students.

Research experience

• Medical Student Researcher — UT Southwestern

  Touchstone Diabetes Center; PI: Philipp E. Scherer, PhD · Dallas, TX

  2023–2024

  • Performed islet histology and size-distribution morphometry on tissue from a doxycycline-inducible mouse model of alpha-cell mitochondrial dysfunction.
  • Proposed that alpha-cell dysfunction may precede and worsen beta-cell hypersecretion (2024 poster).

• Postdoctoral Fellow — UT Health San Antonio

  Division of Diabetes; PI: Ralph A. DeFronzo, MD; direct supervisor: Luke Norton, PhD · San Antonio, TX

  2019–2022

  • Built pancreatic islet isolation from scratch for a department that did not have it.
  • Found that persistent inflammatory lipotoxicity keeps beta-cell function impaired in islets from a mouse model of diet-induced obesity despite pharmacologic correction of glucotoxicity, using islet function assays and islet lipidomics (bioRxiv 2022, first author).
  • Contributed to studies of human insulin secretion (Diabetes 2021) and hepatic insulin resistance and liver fibrosis (Mol Metab 2021; Nat Commun 2025).

• Doctoral Researcher — Harvard Medical School

  Joslin Diabetes Center; PI: Rohit N. Kulkarni, MD, PhD · Boston, MA

  2011–2016

  • Showed that proinflammatory cytokines drive pancreatic exocrine ductal cells toward an endocrine fate through STAT3-dependent NGN3 activation, linking pancreatic inflammation to beta-cell regeneration (Cell Reports 2016, first author; NIH F31-funded, PI).
  • Human pluripotent stem cell biology: directed differentiation to definitive endoderm and the pancreatic endocrine lineage, an iPSC disease model of MODY5/HNF1B pancreatic hypoplasia, and proteome profiling of hPSC-derived pancreatic progenitors (Stem Cell Reports 2014 and 2016; Mol Metab 2018; Stem Cells 2020).

• ACCESS Program Research Intern — Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences

  Weill Cornell Medical College; PI: Randi B. Silver, PhD · New York, NY

  2009

  • Mast cell and cardiac fibroblast interactions in collagen deposition and tissue remodeling.

• Undergraduate Researcher, NIH MBRS-RISE Program — UT Brownsville

  Center for Biomedical Studies; PI: Luis V. Colom, MD, PhD · Brownsville, TX

  2008–2010

  • Amyloid-beta neurotoxicity in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Research funding

• American Diabetes Association Minority Postdoctoral Fellowship (PI)

  UT Health San Antonio, Diabetes Division

  2019–2021

  • Molecular Mechanisms of Glucotoxicity in Man.

• NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellowship (PI) — F31 DK098931

  NIDDK; Harvard Medical School / Joslin Diabetes Center

  2013–2016

  • Analysis of Pancreatic β-cell Survival in Long-Lasting Type 1 Diabetes Patients.

• Sternlicht Director's Fund Award, Harvard Stem Cell Institute

  2011

  • Annual stipend, plus tuition and fees for 2012–2014.

Publications

ORCID: 0000-0002-3533-3783

1. Ayala I, Hebbale SK, Mononen J, Brearley-Sholto MC, Shannon CE, Valdez IA, Fourcaudot M, Bakewell TM, Zagorska A, Romero G, Asmis M, Musa FA, Sily JT, Smelter AA, Hinostroza EA, Freitas Lima LC, de Aguiar Vallim TQ, Heikkinen S, Norton L. The spatial transcriptional activity of hepatic TCF7L2 regulates zonated metabolic pathways that contribute to liver fibrosis. Nat Commun 16(1):3408 (2025). doi:10.1038/s41467-025-58714-5
2. Shannon CE, Ragavan M, Palavicini JP, Fourcaudot M, Bakewell TM, Valdez IA, Ayala I, Jin ES, Madesh M, Han X, Merritt ME, Norton L. Insulin resistance is mechanistically linked to hepatic mitochondrial remodeling in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Mol Metab 45:101154 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2020.101154
3. Merovci A, Tripathy D, Chen X, Valdez IA, Abdul-Ghani M, Solis-Herrera C, Gastaldelli A, DeFronzo RA. Effect of mild physiologic hyperglycemia on insulin secretion, insulin clearance, and insulin sensitivity in healthy glucose-tolerant subjects. Diabetes 70(1):204–213 (2021). doi:10.2337/db20-0039
4. Loo LSW, Vethe H, Soetedjo AAP, Paulo JA, Jasmen J, Jackson N, Bjørlykke Y, Valdez IA, Vaudel M, Barsnes H, Gygi SP, Ræder H, Teo AKK, Kulkarni RN. Dynamic proteome profiling of human pluripotent stem cell-derived pancreatic progenitors. Stem Cells 38(4):542–555 (2020). doi:10.1002/stem.3135
5. Gupta MK, De Jesus DF, Kahraman S, Valdez IA, Shamsi F, Yi L, Swensen AC, Tseng YH, Qian WJ, Kulkarni RN. Insulin receptor-mediated signaling regulates pluripotency markers and lineage differentiation. Mol Metab 18:153–163 (2018). doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2018.09.003
6. Valdez IA, Dirice E, Gupta MK, Shirakawa J, Teo AKK, Kulkarni RN. Proinflammatory cytokines induce endocrine differentiation in pancreatic ductal cells via STAT3-dependent NGN3 activation. Cell Reports 15(3):460–470 (2016). doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.036
7. Teo AKK, Lau HH, Valdez IA, Dirice E, Tjora E, Raeder H, Kulkarni RN. Early developmental perturbations in a human stem cell model of MODY5/HNF1B pancreatic hypoplasia. Stem Cell Reports 6(3):357–367 (2016). doi:10.1016/j.stemcr.2016.01.007
8. Valdez IA, Teo AKK, Kulkarni RN. Cellular stress drives pancreatic plasticity (Perspective). Sci Transl Med 7(273):273ps2 (2015). doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3010577
9. Bhatt S, Gupta MK, Khamaisi M, Martinez R, Gritsenko MA, Wagner BK, Guye P, Busskamp V, Shirakawa J, Wu G, Liew CW, Clauss TR, Valdez IA, El Ouaamari A, Dirice E, Takatani T, Keenan HA, Smith RD, Church G, Weiss R, Wagers AJ, Qian WJ, King GL, Kulkarni RN. Preserved DNA damage checkpoint pathway protects against complications in long-standing type 1 diabetes. Cell Metab 22(2):239–252 (2015). doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.07.015
10. Teo AKK, Valdez IA, Dirice E, Kulkarni RN. Comparable generation of activin-induced definitive endoderm via additive Wnt or BMP signaling in absence of serum. Stem Cell Reports 3(1):5–14 (2014). doi:10.1016/j.stemcr.2014.05.007

Preprints

1. Valdez IA, Palavicini JP, Bakewell TM, Fourcaudot M, Ayala I, Xu Z, Khattab A, Han X, Shannon CE, Norton L. Persistent inflammatory lipotoxicity impedes pancreatic β-cell function in diet-induced obese mice despite correction of glucotoxicity. bioRxiv (2022). Preprint; revised manuscript in preparation. doi:10.1101/2022.05.31.494168

Conference presentations

• 62nd Annual Medical Student Research Forum, UT Southwestern

  Dallas, TX · poster

  2024

  • "Rethinking type 2 diabetes pathogenesis: exploring alpha cell dysfunction as a driver of maladaptive beta cell hypersecretion."

• Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

  Harvard (virtual) · oral, New England regional meeting

  2021

  • "Dissociating the effects of 'glucotoxicity' and 'lipotoxicity' on pancreatic islets from diet-induced obese mice."

• American Diabetes Association, 76th Scientific Sessions

  New Orleans, LA · poster

  2016

  • "Inflammatory cytokines activate NGN3 and induce pancreatic ductal-to-endocrine cell differentiation."

• Boston-Ithaca Islet Club

  Montreal, Canada · poster

  2016

• Boston-Ithaca Islet Club, University of Vermont

  Burlington, VT · oral

  2015

  • "Inflammatory cytokine-induced pancreatic cell differentiation."

• Islet Cell Plasticity in Diabetes Therapy

  Copenhagen, Denmark · oral and poster

  2015

  • "Pro-inflammatory cytokine-induced stress stimulates endocrine progenitor activation in mature pancreatic cells."

• American Diabetes Association, 75th Scientific Sessions

  Boston, MA · poster

  2015

  • "The role of pro-inflammatory cytokines on pancreatic cell differentiation."

• Joslin Poster Day

  Boston, MA · poster

  2015

  • "Proinflammatory cytokine-induced stress stimulates endocrine progenitor activation in mature pancreatic cells."

• Keystone Symposia, Emerging Concepts & Targets in Islet Biology

  Keystone, CO · poster

  2014

  • "Upregulation of endocrine progenitor marker expression in human ductal cells upon oxidative stress and growth factor stimulation."

• 12th Annual UTB/TSC Research Symposium

  Brownsville, TX · poster

  2010

  • "Expression of histamine H1R and ANG II AT1R in cardiac fibroblasts: role in collagen expression."

• Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)

  Phoenix, AZ · poster

  2009

  • "Expression of histamine H1R and ANG II AT1R in cardiac fibroblasts: role in collagen expression."

• Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

  Dallas, TX · poster, national conference

  2009

  • "Cardiac fibroblasts express histamine and ANG II receptors: role in collagen expression."

• Leadership Alliance National Symposium

  Chantilly, VA · poster

  2009

  • "Cardiac fibroblasts express histamine and ANG II receptors: role in collagen deposition."

• Weill Cornell / Sloan Kettering / Rockefeller Summer Symposium

  New York, NY · oral

  2009

  • "Cardiac fibroblasts express histamine and ANG II receptors: role in collagen deposition."

• 11th Annual UTB/TSC Research Symposium

  Brownsville, TX · poster

  2008

  • "Intrahippocampal amyloid-β (1-40) injections injure cholinergic septal neurons."

Invited talks, media & public speaking

• Sutter Health, Health Psychology Seminar (postdoctoral fellows) — guest speaker

  2026

  • Spoke on type 2 diabetes as a disease of the islet, and on reducing the stigma patients face.

• Featured interviewee — Sam Quinones, The Perfect Tuba (Bloomsbury, 2025)

  2025

  • On the Lopez High School Band, the 2003 TMEA State 4A Honor Band, and band in the Rio Grande Valley.

• United to Serve, Diabetes Education Booth

  Dallas, TX

  2024

  • Community education on diabetes risk and management.

• "Next Generation" radio (Dr. Juliet V. García, UT Rio Grande Valley community)

  2018–2019

  • Invited twice to a local public-radio program interviewing young Rio Grande Valley leaders.

• Featured profile — Colloquy, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

  2016

  • "Changing Fate" (Spring 2016), on PhD research in pancreatic plasticity and beta-cell regeneration.
  • Online: gsas.harvard.edu/news/changing-fate

Honors & awards

• UT Southwestern M.D. Scholarship

  2022

  • Full-ride, merit-based.

• Brownsville ISD Alumni Hall of Fame, Lopez High School Alumnus of the Year

  2016

  • Chosen by Lopez Early College High School to represent it at the district's 2016 Alumni Hall of Fame; spoke to the senior class.

• Islet Cell Plasticity in Diabetes Therapy Conference Travel Award (Copenhagen)

  2015

• Southwest Airlines ¡Lánzate! Education Travel Award

  2013

  • Awarded through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

• ABRCMS Travel Award

  2010

  • Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students.

• MBRS-RISE Scholar, NIH Minority Biomedical Research Support — UT Brownsville

  2008–2010

• University Scorpion Scholars' Scholarship, UT Brownsville

  2007

  • Full-tuition, merit-based.

• Salutatorian, Lopez High School, Brownsville, TX

  2007

• HOSA National Silver Medalist, Health Occupations Students of America

  2007

  • Nutrition knowledge test, Orlando, FL; fourth place nationally in 2006.

• Texas All-State Choir, Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA)

  2007

Clinical training

• Core clinical clerkships — UT Southwestern Medical Center

  Dallas, TX

  • Internal medicine, surgery (including surgical oncology), pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, psychiatry, and family medicine.
  • Faculty evaluations of Honors in neurology, surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Leadership & service

• Co-Director of Communications, Harvard Biotechnology Club

  Boston, MA

  2015–2016

  • Ran the club website and served on the leadership board.

• Steering Committee, Minority Biomedical Scientists of Harvard (MBSH)

  Boston, MA

  2010–2015

  • Co-created the annual Jocelyn Spragg Symposium, "Celebrating Diversity in the Biomedical Sciences."

• Application Reviewer — Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Summer Research Program

  Cambridge, MA

  2012

  • Reviewed applications for the 2012 program.

Professional experience

• Senior Analyst, Healthcare & Medical Device Strategy — Fletcher Spaght (FSI)

  Boston, MA

  2016–2019

  • Promoted from Analyst to Senior Analyst after one year.
  • Conducted and synthesized physician, stakeholder, and expert interviews across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Latin America; led Spanish-language engagements.
  • Market entry, competitive landscape, and value-proposition development for biotech, medical device, and diagnostics executives.

Other professional activities

• Independent research, early detection of type 2 diabetes

  2026–present

  • Self-directed manuscript program.

• Co-Founder, Scientific Strategy — Integral BioStrategy

  San Diego, CA

  2026–present

  • Partner-led scientific-strategy advisory.

• Four U.S. provisional patent applications

  2026

  • Independently owned.

Professional memberships (past)

American Diabetes Association · SACNAS · Leadership Alliance

Languages

English and Spanish (bilingual).

References

References available on request.