Congratulations to Pablo Alarcon, MD/PhD student in the UC College of Medicine’s MSTP program, who recently presented his research at the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in San Francisco, one of the most prestigious global gatherings in the field. Pablo was also honored with a CROI Young Investigator Scholarship for his outstanding work.

Pablo’s research focuses on how tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy impacts T cells in people living with HIV. For Pablo, this work is deeply meaningful. He was born in Peru, where TB and HIV continue to present major health challenges. Connecting with Moises Huaman, MD, MSc., Associate Professor of Clinical in the Department of Internal Medicine, and a Peruvian infectious disease physician-scientist, allowed Pablo to blend his passions for global health, infectious disease, and immunology into one impactful project.

“It was a perfect fit between global health, infectious disease, and immunology,” Pablo shared. “Even more importantly, it’s work that directly impacts underserved and vulnerable populations in my country of origin — something I feel I can’t overlook.”

At CROI, Pablo found both inspiration and community. “Science is stronger when we collaborate — with other scientists, clinicians, advocates, and patients,” he reflected. Presenting alongside other first-time speakers, he embraced the nervous excitement of the moment and came away with new ideas, meaningful connections, and a clearer vision for the future.

Next up, Pablo plans to continue pursuing infectious disease research and global health efforts, with hopes of becoming a physician-scientist focused on infectious diseases in Peru. “This experience has been career-shaping,” he said. “The opportunity to present at CROI and connect with global leaders in TB research has set the stage for what I hope to accomplish next.” We’re proud to highlight Pablo’s work and celebrate the ways our UC students are making a difference both locally and around the world.