Research Team

Robert A. De Lorenzo, MD, MSCI, MSM, FACEP
Professor and Vice Chair of Research
Currently at UT Health San Antonio (UTHSA) he also holds the position of Professor and Vice Chair of Research. Additionally he is an Adjoint Faculty Member in the Joint Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio & UTHSA. Dr. De Lorenzo completed his emergency medicine residency at Wright State University and completed fellowships in EMS and research. He has been board certified in emergency medicine for nearly 25 years. He is the author of two textbooks in emergency medical services and has published over 200 scientific papers, medical articles, and textbook chapters. He retired from the US Army with after a career spanning 32 years including two combat tours in Iraq. He is past president of the Government Services Chapter of ACEP and past Chair of the Public health and Injury Prevention Committee. Dr. De Lorenzo has been invited to serve on numerous national-level advisory panels including the US Department of Justice, Health and Human Services, National Guard Bureau, Department of Defense, and Department of Transportation. His professional interests include research in airway management, acute preoperative management of open fractures, simulation modeling for life saving interventions, traumatic brain injury, intraosseous infusions, and medical device evaluations. Dr. De Lorenzo resides in San Antonio.

Patrick C Ng, MS, MD
Associate Professor/ Director of Research
Dr. Patrick C Ng, MD is an Emergency Medicine physician and Medical Toxicologist. He is an Air Force Veteran with combat deployment experience and former Director of the En route Care Research Center at the 59th Medical Wing. He is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Research at the Department of Emergency Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Ng is active with translational and clinical research. His interest is in improving health care delivery with particular focus on applications for military health care and medical care in the austere setting. His current work focuses on medical device and care delivery innovation, as well as medical countermeasure development for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) exposures. He has ongoing work in these areas with academic, industry, government, nonprofit and military partners in the translational lab, with both small and large animal models, and in the clinical setting. He has extensive experience with industry, military, state and federally funded translational and clinical work. Additionally, he has experience with medicolegal consulting and industry consulting with a particular focus on military, disaster, industry and Department of Defense applications.

Patricia Sanchez
Administrative Assistant Associate
Patricia provides valuable support to Dr. Robert A. De Lorenzo and his research team, playing a crucial role in facilitating and assisting with various research endeavors and faculty development initiatives. With over 15 years of experience in administrative assistance, Patricia has honed her skills in areas such as credentials verification and credentialing. She has held positions as an Operations Manager at Bexar Credentials Verification in San Antonio, as well as an Executive Assistant/Credentialing professional at Victory Medical Center and Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital, both located in San Antonio, Texas.

Stephanie Perez, MHA
Program Manager

Connor Evans, Ph.D
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Connor is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UT Health San Antonio focused on medical device development with an emphasis on academic leadership development and cross-disciplinary collaboration. His interest in biomedical engineering stems from a desire to use math, science, and technology to find innovative solutions for civilian and military medicine. Prior to joining UT Health San Antonio, Connor was a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering studying biomedical applications of spectral photon-counting computed tomography with Dr. Ryan K. Roeder. His professional interests include research in airway management, biomaterials, medical imaging, and emergency medicine. In addition to his civilian career, Connor also serves part-time as an Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. During his free time, Connor enjoys distance running, watching college football, and spending time with his wife, Isabelle and cat, Shadow.

Maria Castaneda
Manager, Research Operations

Marian Suarez-Martinez, B.S.
Research Area Specialist Associate
Mariana is a Research Associate in the Emergency Department of UT Health San Antonio, aspiring physician. With a strong foundation in both clinical and research settings, Mariana possesses a versatile skillset and a deep interest in advancing healthcare. She graduated with Honors at the University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelor’s in biology. Within her time, she completed research internships with Texas Tech Health Science Center and Texas Biomedical Research Institute, involving advanced research techniques with mice and non-human primate models, respectively. Her experience in Dermatology as a Medical Assistant, and as a Medical Scribe with the Emergency Department emboldened her pursuit to become a physician. Mariana regularly gives back to her community, whether local or abroad, with medical efforts with Corazon Clinic as a Team Lead or through VAW: Global Health Alliance as a Site Coordinator. In her free time, Mariana enjoys pursuing her artistic interests through acrylic painting. She also maintains an active lifestyle through Aquafit, Pilates, and swimming.

Alexander Nunnery, B.A., B.S.
Research Area Specialist Associate
Alex Nunnery is an amateur researcher and an aspiring physician. He became enamored with emergency medicine and research during his postgraduate studies. Driven by a desire to revolutionize healthcare through science, he returned to his alma mater, Texas Tech University, where he completed his second bachelor’s degree in biology. Before joining Dr. De Lorenzo’s Research Team, he garnered over three years of clinical experience and over two years of research experience. His current research interests encompass Traumatic Brain Injury, Photobiomodulation for Brain Disorders, Neurologic Emergencies, and Racial Disparities in the ED. His passion lies in serving the underserved through medicine and science. Outside of the lab, he enjoys traveling, riding sport bikes, spending time at the gun range, and weightlifting.

Andrea Garcia, B.S.
Research Area Specialist Associate
Andrea Garcia is an aspiring counselor with a bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater College. Driven by a passion for healthcare, Andrea began her career providing patient care to pediatric patients across several intensive care and specialty units in a hospital setting, where she spent five years developing valuable hands-on experience. During this time, Andrea became deeply interested in research, particularly the ways in which emergency medicine evolves through continuous research and development. Motivated by a desire to contribute to this growth, Andrea seeks new opportunities to explore and contribute to the ever-changing field of healthcare, ultimately aiming to bring her background and insights into the counseling profession. Outside of work, Andrea enjoys spending quality time with family, friends, and her beloved dog, Molly.