Miami CTSI Announces FY26 K12 Clinical and Translational Science Scholars

Published: March 6, 2026

The Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) is pleased to announce the selection of three outstanding early-career investigators as FY26 K12 Scholars. Through the Mentored Research Career Development Program in Clinical and Translational Science, these scholars will receive multidisciplinary mentorship, advanced training and protected time to accelerate their transition to independent research careers while advancing innovative, community-relevant translational science.

This year’s K12 projects address critical challenges in aging, virology and neuroscience — advancing translational science that is community-engaged, broadly generalizable, and directly applicable to the populations that comprise South Florida.

Christian Agudelo, M.D.

Assistant Professor, Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology

Mentors: Alberto R. Ramos, M.D., M.S., Tatjana Rundek, M.D., Ph.D., and David Loewenstein Ph.D.

Dr. Agudelo’s project studies how sleep affects early changes in the brain that happen before symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear. His research looks at brain structure as an early warning sign and explores how sleep patterns and beta-amyloid buildup work together to increase Alzheimer’s risk years before memory problems begin.

This work demonstrates translational relevance because sleep habits can be changed, and Dr. Agudelo’s research supports the development of early, personalized approaches that could slow or prevent disease progression long before diagnosis. His study also uses data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, helping address Alzheimer’s risk in Latino communities that make up a large part of South Florida. By identifying early brain changes that apply across diseases, this research may also accelerate the testing of preventive treatments for multiple neurodegenerative conditions.

Ariana Johnson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Prevention Science & Community Health

Mentors: Susanne Doblecki-Lewis, M.D., Mariano Kanamori, Ph.D., M.A., Daniel Escudero, Ph.D., M.P.H. (Vanderbilt University), Susan Little, M.D. (UC San Diego)

Dr. Johnson’s K12 project advances translational science through the development of a neighborhood-level HIV transmission simulation model grounded in real-world clinical, social network, and community data from Miami-Dade County—one of the nation’s HIV epicenters. Aligned with the NIH’s goal of ending the HIV epidemic, her work integrates machine learning, implementation science, and community-based participatory research to improve HIV prevention strategies in communities disproportionately affected by HIV transmission.

By simulating how tailored, community-informed interventions affect HIV transmission, this model will help optimize PrEP delivery, enhance health for all, and reduce new infections and scale up biomedical HIV prevention.

This model demonstrates translational impact by transforming complex data into tools that guide high-impact HIV prevention strategies both locally and beyond South Florida.

Jacob Miller, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Division of Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience

Mentors: David Loewenstein Ph.D., Aaron Heller, Ph.D., Rosie Curiel Cid, Psy.D.

Dr. Miller’s K12 research studies how memory-related brain systems change with aging and neurodegenerative disease. Using advanced brain imaging and memory testing, his work looks to understand how these changes differ from person to person, especially among individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

This personalized approach helps address a major challenge in Alzheimer’s research: finding ways to identify and treat the disease earlier, before significant memory loss occurs. By linking individual brain changes to specific memory difficulties, Dr. Miller’s research supports earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment approaches. His project also aligns with the linguistic and demographic characteristics of South Florida populations.

Together, the FY26 K12 Scholars advance Miami CTSI’s mission by conducting clinical and translational research that addresses key health challenges in South Florida and beyond. Learn more about the K12 program here.