About the Speaker

Dr. Hector Rasgado-Flores is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics and the Faculty Lead of the Chicago Medical School Community Health and Engagement. He has integrated his passions for science, music, and education into a career transcending traditional boundaries. His academic journey began at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where he studied medicine, piano, and composition. This unique foundation foreshadowed his interdisciplinary approach to life and work. He later earned master’s and doctoral degrees in Neuroscience from CINVESTAV-IPN (Mexico) and the University of Maryland.

Refusing to limit himself to a single path, Dr. Rasgado-Flores has pursued his diverse interests with unwavering dedication, making significant contributions across multiple fields:

As a scientist, he has advanced understanding of physiology and biophysics, conducting groundbreaking research to develop innovative therapies for cystic fibrosis and exploring the therapeutic effects of music on elderly patients with dementia. The NIH, the American Heart Association, Novartis, Takeda, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation have supported his work.

As a pianist, he has performed at renowned international stages, including the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Paraninfo in Guadalajara, Moscow State University, and the Chicago Cultural Center.

As a composer, he has bridged the worlds of science and art through commissioned works such as a symphony on the physiology of the human life cycle (American Physiological Society), a piano suite inspired by the chemical elements (Colegio Nacional, Mexico), and a trio celebrating the restorative effects of nature (Brushwood Center).

As an educator, he has reimagined medical teaching using 18th-century Italian operas to explain skeletal muscle contraction, organizing workshops to teach non-musician medical students to write four-voice musical canons, and creating the award-winning presentation “Brain, Music, and Sense.”

Beyond his academic and artistic accomplishments, Dr. Rasgado-Flores is deeply committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. He has dedicated himself to empowering underrepresented and underserved students, helping them access and excel in academic and professional spaces. At Rosalind Franklin University, he founded the INSPIRE and Science Saturdays programs, which provide opportunities for underrepresented high school students to engage with science. His leadership extends to founding and serving as president of the Society of Latin American Biophysicists, chairing the International Physiology Committee of the American Physiological Society, and leading the American Heart Association Research Council.

His contributions have earned him widespread recognition. In 2016, the UNAM Medical School named him the “Santiago Ramón y Cajal” Professor, and in 2018, the Mexican government honored him as a “Distinguished Mexican.” He has also received two Lifetime Achievement Awards: one in 2022 from the Universidad Guizar y Valencia in Mexico and another in 2023 from the Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education (ILACHE).

How to participate

The class will become available about 30 minutes prior to the start of the presentation. During this time, you should ensure that you have the Zoom client installed and working.

To install Zoom, click on the link for your operating system:
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How to get your Participation Certificate

After the presentation, return to this course to take the post-lecture quiz. The quiz will consist of information that was presented during the session and should not be difficult if you watched the presentation. Once you finish and pass the quiz, mark the course as complete. Your certificate will be available for download as a PDF file upon completion.

You can always return to your profile to view and download your certificates.