Melisa Velasco is a Research Associate I at the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida.

Melisa’s background spans clinical care in neurology and neurosurgery, where she developed experience in patient care coordination, clinical documentation, and supporting physicians in specialty healthcare settings. Her work with neurological patient populations strengthened her interest in cognitive health, neurodegenerative disease, and patient-centered research.

With a strong foundation in health science and a passion for medicine, Melisa is particularly interested in the biological and lifestyle factors that influence brain health, resilience, and healthy aging. She is excited to contribute to research that advances understanding of cognition and improves quality of life for diverse patient populations.

Alyssa Gosling, M.S., is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the University of Miami with experience supporting neurology and Cardiology clinical trials. She has contributed to trials in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Myasthenia Gravis, with responsibilities spanning patient recruitment, regulatory coordination, protocol implementation, and participant engagement.

Alyssa earned her Master of Biomedical Sciences degree from Florida Atlantic University, where her academic training emphasized tumor immunology and translational research. She is committed to advancing health equity in clinical research and has worked to address disparities in trial participation among underrepresented populations. In support of global research accessibility, she developed a clinical trial registry initiative to increase visibility and engagement in African clinical trials.

Her work centers on expanding equitable access to innovative therapies while maintaining patient-centered, ethical research practices.

Moushume Chowdhury is a pharmacist and clinical research professional dedicated to advancing public health through community-engaged research. After four years of experience in clinical trials, she sought to broaden her impact beyond clinical settings and pursued a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. During her MPH program, she engaged in community-based research in partnership with NGOs and community organizations, strengthening her commitment to addressing population-level health challenges through equitable and participatory approaches. She brings expertise in participant engagement, ethical research practices, regulatory compliance, and high-quality data collection across diverse health domains.

Her research experience includes examining social and structural factors that influence population health, preventive strategies for chronic disease, and reproductive and sexual health. She is currently expanding her work into aging and cognitive health, with a particular interest in understanding cognitive functioning, strengthening early detection efforts, and informing dementia-prevention strategies in diverse communities.