Candace Robledo, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor at The University Texas Rio Grande Valley

Candace Robledo, PhD, MPH, is a doctoral-level epidemiologist with experience in conducting research across a wide range of topics in environmental health and behavioral research. Dr. Robledo has served for three years as an Assistant Professor and the Director of the MPH Maternal and Child Health program in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health at the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center. She is currently a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health and Biostatistics at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, School of Medicine. Dr. Robledo’s primary research interests focus on assessing the impact of environmental chemicals—such as bisphenol A, phthalates, persistent organic pollutants, and air pollution—on maternal and child health. She has actively sought funding to leverage her experience and expertise to expand her research portfolio in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD). She has obtained pilot funding from the RGV AD-RCMAR and a career development award from the National Institute on Aging to examine how exposure to persistent organic pollutants impacts the aging brain in humans. Additionally, she has secured funding from the NIH Community Engagement Research Alliance Against COVID-19 in Disproportionately Affected Communities Consortium to conduct research aimed at understanding how pandemic conditions affect mental health and well-being, as well as to enhance COVID-19 vaccine confidence among Mexican American populations. Most recently, she was awarded funding by the Health Resources and Services Administration (6 UR6MC50345-01-03) to establish sustainable community partnerships that will enhance regional capacity to conduct maternal health research among Hispanic women. Dr. Robledo is the director of UTRGV’s Maternal Health Research Center and will also lead the community engagement core for the Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparity Research Center.