Francis Cambronero

Francis Cambronero is completing her Ph.D. in Neuroscience under the mentorship of Dr. Angela Jefferson at the Vanderbilt Memory & Alzheimer’s Center. Francis earned her bachelor's degree from Harvard College in Neurobiology with a concentration in Global Health & Health Policy. Prior to joining Vanderbilt University, Francis worked at the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Sciences studying the effects of metabolic risk on functional brain phenotypes and neuropsychiatric functioning.

Francis' current research interests are focused on understanding how vascular risk factors, including aortic stiffness and cerebral artery variations, relate to neurovascular and cognitive dysfunction among aging adults. She is particularly interested in risk stratification, including contributions from genetic susceptibility markers of Alzheimer’s disease and social determinants of health. Francis' work utilizes cardiac imaging, neuroimaging, and neuropsychological methods to study changes across the cognitive aging spectrum.