Marcela Abrego, MPH, is a doctoral student at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a graduate research assistant in the laboratory of Dr. Beth Widen. 

Marcela earned her BS in Nutritional Sciences at UT Austin (2019) and her Master's in Public Health in Nutrition and Health Quality from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill (2022). Professionally, Marcela has been an intern in the Quality and Strategic Management department of the Williamson County and Cities Health District, an Intervention Specialist at UNC, a Research Assistant at the University of Virginia, and a Research Data Analyst for an international fatty-acid-focused non-profit, GOED.

Marcela’s graduate research is focused on maternal and infant health at the intersection of obesity and cardiovascular disease as it pertains to metabolic syndrome.