Spain’s Consul Visits University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Spotlighting Global Impact of Research
Her Excellency Belén Alfaro’s visit to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine highlights the global influence of Spanish researchers and the power of international scientific collaboration.
Her Excellency Belén Alfaro, General Consul of Spain in Miami, visited the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to meet with leading Spanish scientists whose research is advancing medicine and improving lives worldwide.
Organized with the support of the Association of Spanish Scientists in the United States (ECUSA Miami), the visit highlighted the global reach of Spanish scientific talent and its contributions within one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers.
Spain’s Consul Highlights Global Scientific Collaboration at the Miller School
The delegation toured laboratories and collaborative innovation spaces across the Miller School, including Converge Miami, a dynamic hub in Miami’s health district designed to bring together researchers, entrepreneurs and industry partners to accelerate scientific discovery and economic development. Converge Miami houses shared laboratory environments, startup spaces and University of Miami programs, creating opportunities for collaboration among the hundreds of researchers engaged in a wide range of projects.
In addition to Consul Alfaro, the visit brought together leaders from ECUSA Miami, including María Buitrago Sandoval, president of the ECUSA Miami Board, and Henar Albertos-Arranz, vice president of the chapter. Miller School faculty members participating in the delegation included:
• Daniel Bilbao Cortes, Ph.D., M.B.A., associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the Miller School
• Teresa Del-Moral, Ph.D., clinical professor of pediatrics at the Miller School and associate director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Holtz Children’s Hospital
• Maria Alcaide, M.D., professor of infectious diseases in the Miller School’s Department of Medicine, with appointments in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and the Department of Public Health Sciences.
• Pilar Alcaide, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Miller School
• José Martínez-Navio, Ph.D., research associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the Miller School
The event underscored the organization’s role in fostering connections among Spanish scientists in the United States. By bringing together academic leaders, clinicians and international partners, the visit highlighted the Miller School’s position as a global center for research and innovation and the critical role of international collaboration in advancing science.
“It is a privilege to visit Spanish women researchers whose scientific excellence contributes to advancing knowledge and improving people’s lives,” said Consul Alfaro.
Infectious Disease Research Advancing HIV Care and Women’s Health
A central stop on the visit was the work of Dr. Maria Alcaide. Dr. Alcaide’s research focuses on HIV, women’s health and emerging infectious diseases. Her work has played a critical role in shaping clinical strategies and public health policy in infectious diseases both in the United States and internationally.
During the visit, Consul Alfaro learned how Dr. Alcaide, the founder of the long-running STAR (Study of Treatment and Reproductive Outcomes) and the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort studies, is addressing persistent gaps in HIV outcomes and advancing new approaches to prevention and care for men and women with HIV, including the use of dedicated mobile units for research.
“Research in infectious diseases must remain deeply connected to the communities we serve,” said Dr. Alcaide. “Through collaborative efforts, we are working to translate scientific discoveries into meaningful improvements in global public health.”
Uncovering the Immune System’s Role in Heart Disease
The delegation also visited the laboratory of Dr. Pilar Alcaide, whose pioneering work in cardioimmunology is reshaping understanding of how the immune system contributes to heart failure and cardiovascular disease.
Her research explores how inflammation and immune cell activity drive disease progression, opening new pathways for therapeutic innovation.
“We are beginning to understand that cardiovascular disease is not only a matter of the heart but also of the immune system,” said Dr. Pilar Alcaide. “By studying these interactions, we can identify entirely new strategies to treat and prevent heart failure.”
Neonatal Research Improving Outcomes for Vulnerable Infants
At Jackson Memorial Hospital, the Consul met with Dr. Del-Moral. Her research centers on neonatal resuscitation and the impact of microbiome imbalance in premature infants. Dr. Del Moral’s work is helping clinicians better understand how early-life interventions can improve outcomes for some of the most medically fragile patients.
“Every advance in neonatal care has the potential to change a child’s entire life trajectory,” said Dr. del Moral. “Our goal is to develop evidence-based strategies that give vulnerable newborns the strongest possible start.”
“Visits like this reaffirm the importance of scientific collaboration across borders,” said Dr. María Alcaide. “They create opportunities to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships and recognize the contributions of researchers working to advance science and improve health both locally and globally.”
“When I was in Boston, where ECUSA started, we had a consular visit that enhanced the visibility of research in the Massachusetts-Spain axis,” said Dr. Pilar Alcaide. “I am really happy that several years later, with the support of ECUSA Miami, the research and medical innovations done at the University of Miami are being similarly highlighted.”
More from the Miller School of Medicine
At the Miller School of Medicine, Dr. Pilar Alcaide studies how immune‑driven inflammation impacts health and disease.
The Miller School of Medicine is hosting a kickoff of the second five-year phase of a longitudinal investigation of HIV and women.
Miller School of Medicine pediatricians comprise almost 10% of the incoming class of the organization dedicated to excellence in pediatrics.
Dr. Alcaide is a published expert in the immune-cardiovascular interface and novel mechanisms of chronic inflammation.
Tags: Dr. Maria Alcaide, Dr. Pilar Alcaide, Dr. Teresa del Moral, global health