2025–2026 NHLCC Scholar: Mark Flores

Mark Flores

PhD
University of Iowa

Mark Flores is a current PhD candidate at the University of Iowa in the Department of Health, Sport, and Human Physiology, with an emphasis on social determinants and vascular function. Of Dominican descent and growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, he witnessed family and community health adversity firsthand, most notably, the lack of culturally competent healthcare and understanding of the reasons for the increased prevalence of vascular ailments among Hispanic communities.

While receiving his BS in Chemistry and Kinesiology from McDaniel College, he gained an appreciation for and became deeply invested in the study of adverse health outcomes from an interdisciplinary lens. Today, he strives to advance the health of Latino and Hispanic populations through work contextualizing often-overlooked contributors to disease risk within cultural and lived experiences.

At the University of Iowa, Mark studies the complex physiologic and environmental factors contributing to vascular function and currently leads a research project investigating how differences in daily psychosocial stress processes contribute to poorer vascular and cardiometabolic health outcomes in Latino populations. Mark has been involved in a wealth of other integrative health research, including the use of psychological interventions to improve sleep and vascular health, the study of endothelial function in those with a history of adverse childhood experiences, and the hemodynamic and cardiometabolic effects of chronic and acute stress exposure.

Beyond his research, Mark remains dedicated to uplifting the scientific community through leadership roles in a number of professional and advocacy organizations. He is the founder and current president of the University of Iowa’s Latino Graduate Student Association since 2022 and an executive board member of the Association of Multicultural Scientists, both organizations dedicated to advocating for diversity in science and helping others navigate academic and professional challenges.