People Group Archives: Aging

Ania Lipat is a postdoctoral scholar in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing. Throughout her educational training, she has gained extensive experience in gait analysis with a specific focus on aging and chronic pain populations. During her studies, she has helped develop and assess novel quantitative gait technologies for preclinical models of […]

Sergi Garcia-Retortillo is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing with expertise in exercise physiology, electrophysiology, exercise testing, and physiological network analysis. His research centers on the emerging field of network physiology, which seeks to understand how physiological systems interact as an integrated network to sustain function. He investigates the fundamental principles regulating interactions […]

Marissa “Mari” Mackiewicz is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing and a nurse scientist whose work focuses on ensuring all older adults have access to healthcare. Her research interests include substance use disorders and unmet oral health needs in older adult populations. Prior to joining UCF, Mackiewicz held post-doctoral positions at the University […]

Chitra “Chippy” Banarjee serves as a graduate research assistant in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing while pursuing a joint MD/PhD degree at the College of Medicine. She has a broad background in biochemical and biobehavioral research, with specific training and interest in using computational techniques to process and analyze big data, […]

Kworweinski Lafontant is a certified strength coach and certified exercise physiologist and personal trainer who works as a graduate research assistant in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing. Previously, as a master’s student, he served as research coordinator for the Physique & Performance Enhancement Lab at the University of South Florida. Lafontant […]

Jethro Raphael Suarez is a biomedical engineering researcher in the Healthy Aging Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing. His research focuses on the static balance performance and physical activity levels of older adults. Additionally, he applies his engineering expertise to develop cost-effective rehabilitative assistive devices designed to enhance mobility and improve quality of life for […]

Nurse, researcher, and educator Michael Joseph “MJ” Dino specializes in health informatics, gerotechnology, educational technologies, robotics, human-computer interaction (HCI), extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), and academic integrity. He is part of the Delphi Group, which pioneered the new definition of Nursing and Nurses at the International Council of Nurses, and past president of the […]

Professor Susan Mac Leod Dyess has more than 30 years of academic, clinical, and administrative experience and is a nationally recognized leader in interprofessional education, curricular design, and holistic nursing. She is known for her solution-oriented leadership and impactful community-based participatory action research. Her work integrates caring science, human-centered design, and systems thinking to transform […]

Lisa Linville is the director of the Leadership and Management online MSN program at UCF’s College of Nursing. She has held administrative, legal and clinical roles in health care systems for more than 25 years and has taught in graduate nursing programs for more than 15 years. Her legal experience includes medical malpractice, health care […]

Associate Professor Rebecca Koszalinski investigates the relationships between air, water, the environment, and health outcomes and leads the interdisciplinary Human Health Outcomes of Exposure to Environmental Toxins Lab at UCF’s College of Nursing. Her harmful algal bloom research seeks to evaluate significant health care implications of potential toxin exposures. She is currently the primary investigator […]