Center for
Global Health

International Scholar

Languages: Spanish (native), English

Bio statement

Dr. Velarde’s medical expertise areas include epidemiology, statistics, pneumonia, and vitamin D. He received his medical degree from University of San Carlos School of Medicine. Through a scholarship from the NIH, he received a Masters of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania where he was mentored by Dr. Brian L. Strom. He has worked for AbbVie and assisted in presenting the AbbVie’s pipeline drugs protocols for phase 1- 3 studies. He also working with infectious diseases and cancer, and is the Department Director of Research at Liga Nacional Contra el Cáncer in Guatemala.

Recent Global Health Projects

Dr. Velarde recently worked on a project studying the epidemiology of endemic nephropathy in Latin America. He is now working on a liver cancer project.

Selected publications

M. Ixquiac, F.J. Reynoso, M. Schmidt, T.R. Mazur, T. Zhao, H.A. Gay, G.D. Hugo, L.E. Henke, J.M. Michalski, A. Velarde, V. De Falla, F.E. Reyes, E. Montenegro, E.A. Ruiz Furlan, B. Sun,Bridging the Gap of Radiotherapy Treatment Planning Quality between High-Income, and Low- and Middle-Income Countries Using Knowledge-Based Planning,International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics,Volume 117, Issue 2, Supplement,2023,Page e591,ISSN 0360-3016,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.1941.

M. Ixquiac, E. Montenegro, F.J. Reynoso, M. Schmidt, T.R. Mazur, T. Zhao, H.A. Gay, G.D. Hugo, L.E. Henke, J.M. Michalski, A. Velarde, V. De Falla, F.E. Reyes, E. A. Ruiz Furlan, B. Sun,Standardizing LT Chest Wall Radiotherapy Treatment Planning in a Low- or Middle- Income Country Radiotherapy Clinic Using Knowledge Based Planning,International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics,Volume 117, Issue 2, Supplement,2023,Pages e675-e676,ISSN 0360-3016,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.2129.

Alba Kihn-Alarcón, Diana Beatriz Marroquin Flores, Vicky de Falla, Mauricio Siliézar, Carlos Silva, Angel Velarde BRCA mutations in triple-negative breast cancer patients in Guatemala: A descriptive study. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.e22543 Journal of Clinical Oncology 41, no. 16_suppl (June 01, 2023) e22543-e22543.

Kavuma A, Kibudde S, Schmidt M, Zhao T, Gay H, Li B, Michalski J, Hugo G, Vanchinbazar E, Minjgee M, Nansalmaa E, Ssewamala F, Velarde A, De Fella V, Ixquiac M, Henke L, van Rheenen J, Sun B. Remote Global Radiation Oncology Education and Training: A Pathway to Increase Access to High-Quality Radiation Therapy Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2023 Jan 16;8(3):101180. doi: 10.1016/j.adro.2023.101180. PMID: 36846439; PMCID: PMC9947225.

Kihn-Alarcón, Alba & Falla, Vicky & Siliézar, Mauricio & Orozco, Loida & García, Carlos & Figueroa, Javier & Ruiz, Edgar & Toledo-Ponce, María & García-Rivera, Mariluna & Dávila, Sonia & Sobrevilla, Liliana & Henke, Lauren & Gay, Hiram & van Rheenen, Jacaranda & Velarde, Angel. (2022). Breast cancer in young women in Guatemala: A retrospective comparative cohort study.. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 40. e13523-e13523. 10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.e13523.

De Falla V, Figueroa F, Michalski J, van Rheenen J, Gay H, Ruiz Furlan E, et al. Quality of Life of Patients Treated with Radiotherapy in an Upper Middle-Income Country. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics. 2022 Nov;114(3):e458-e459.

Velarde, Angel, Alba Kihn-Alarcón, Hiram Gay, Jeff Michalski, Edgar Ruiz, Hugo Geoffrey, Vicky de Falla, Javier Figueroa, Kirk Douglas Najera, Carlos García, Kevin Ma, Ana Salazar, Abigail Zamorano, Sonia Dávila, y Jacaranda van Rheenen. 2021. “Abstract 110: Colon Cancer in Patients under 50 in Guatemala: A Retrospective Comparative Cohort Study”. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers 30(7 Supplement):110–110. doi: 10.1158/1538-7755.ASGCR21-110

 Kevin Sheng-Kai Ma, Angel Alfonso Velarde Lopez, National Taiwan University Department of Life Science, y Perelman School of Medicine Center of Global Health. s/f. “Prognostic Biomarkers for Primary SjöGren's Syndrome-Associated Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.” https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/199965/abstract

 Kevin Sheng-Kai Ma, Jasmine Tan, Angel Velarde, Department of Life Science NTU, School of Medicine NTU, Center of Global Health PS of M. Sociodemographics, lifestyle determinants, and viral infections in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy in Taiwan: A prospective cohort study. [citado el 26 de mayo de 2021]; Disponible en: https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/196984/abstract

Velarde A, Najera KD, Gay H, Powderly WG, Mutic S, Green J, et al. Taking Guatemala From Cobalt to IMRT: A Tale of US Agency Collaboration With Academic Institutions and Industry. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics. el 1 de agosto de 2020;107(5):867–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.04.001

Lee K, Velarde A, Najera KD, Sobrevilla L, Palacios E, Gay HA, et al. Initial Clinical Experience With a State-of-the-Art Linear Accelerator for Radiotherapy in a Low-Resource Setting: The First 35 Patients Treated Via a Guatemalan-American Partnership. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. el 1 de noviembre de 2020;108(3):e427–8.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.07.2505

Velarde A, Najera KD, Gay HA, Powderly WG, Mutic S, Green J, et al. Transitioning from Old Cobalt-60 Teletherapy to Modern Linac Radiotherapy in a Lower-Middle Income Country Guatemala. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. el 1 de noviembre de 2020;108(3):e430–1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.07.2511

Najera KD, Velarde A, Mutic S, Rheenen J van, Cai B, Laugeman E, et al. Implementation of a Modern Standardized Commissioning – An International Collaboration to Install an Advanced Ring Gantry LINAC in Clinical Mode in a Lower Income Country. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. el 1 de noviembre de 2020;108(3):e430.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.07.2510

Kihn-Alarcón A.J., Alvarado-Muñoz J.F., Orozco-Fuentes L.I., Calgua-Guerra E., Fuentes-de Falla, V., Velarde, A. Years of Potential Life Lost Because of Breast and Cervical Cancers in Guatemala. JCO Global Oncology 2020 :6, 761-765

Velarde López, A. A., Gerber, J. S., Leonard, M. B., Xie, D., Schinnar, R., & Strom, B. L. (2016). Children with lower respiratory tract infections and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels: A case-control study. Pediatric Pulmonology. 2016 Oct; 51 (10): 1080-1087

Velarde López, A., et al. Epidemiology of Endemic Nephropathy of Unknown Etiology in Latin America: A Review on Morbidity and Mortality. Journal of Kidney. 2018 Apr 13;4(2):1–3. 

Kihn-Alarcon, AJ, Toledo-Ponce, MF, Velarde A, Xu, X. Liver Cancer in Guatemala: An Analysis of Mortality and Incidence Trends from 2012 to 2016. Journal of Global Oncology 2019: 5, 1-8

Last Updated: 08 November 2023