Lab Director
Santiago Ortega-Gutiérrez, MD, MSc, FAHA, FSVIN
Title/Position
Principal Investigator
Dr Santiago Ortega earned his MD at University of Alcala in Madrid Spain, did his Internal Medicine and Neurology residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin, completed a Neurocritical care and Stroke Fellowship at Columbia University, and an Endovascular Neurosurgery fellowship at Mount Sinai in New York. He is currently the Director of Neuro Interventional Surgery in Neurology at UI and the Neuroendovascular Surgical Neuroradiology Fellowship Director. He is also the Vice Chair of the Mechanical Thrombectomy 2020+ initiative and President of the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology. His research interest includes cerebral autoregulation and hemodynamics, neuroimaging as a selection tool and developing novel endovascular approaches and devices to treat cerebrovascular ischemic and hemorrhagic disease. Currently Dr. Ortega-Gutierrez has over 300 publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as he is the PI in several NIH/NINDS, PCORI and industry funded investigator-initiated studies and Randomized Trials including MAP-STROKE, DIRECT and DONE SYMPLE.
Lab Managers
Carlos A Contreras-Mesa, MS
Title/Position
Clinical Trial & Lab Manager
Carlos Contreras Mesa is a cross-sector project manager whose work spans multinational clinical research, public-sector innovation, and AI-driven technology. As Project Manager and Lab Manager of the Cerebrovascular & Neurointerventional Laboratory at University of Iowa Health Care, he directs two concurrent multinational clinical trials across a 40-site network and oversees a combined $15M research portfolio under strict ICH-GCP and FDA compliance. He also led the development of "Jarín-Jarín," an AI system that analyzes satellite and drone imagery to monitor public-works progress and flag stalled projects; a venture that reached the top-5 finalists among 36 startups from 17 countries. He holds a Master of Science in Project Management from UDIMA and is a recognized AI educator who teaches advanced techniques such as Chain of Thought for critical thinking and dynamic content generation.
Research Fellows
Leonardo Cruz-Criollo, MD
Title/Position
Research Fellow
Dr. Leonardo Cruz-Criollo is a Peruvian neurologist who completed his residency at the renowned Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurológicas through the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM). During his residency, he developed a deep interest in vascular neurology, endovascular neurology, and neurocritical care. As part of his residency training, he enhanced his expertise through observerships in Canada and Mexico, focusing on vascular and endovascular neurology.
Driven by his passion for advancing medical knowledge and innovative treatments, Dr. Cruz-Criollo came to the United States to collaborate on research in cerebrovascular diseases, neurocritical care and neurointervention. He is committed to driving innovations that transform clinical practices and improve patient outcomes.
Anderson Brito Alvarado, MD
Dr. Brito Alvarado earned his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU) in the Dominican Republic. He has a deep passion for clinical research and is dedicated to advancing patient care through innovative approaches in neurosurgery. Aspiring to become a neurological surgeon, his focus is on improving outcomes for patients with critical neurological conditions. Prior to joining the Cerebrovascular and Neurointerventional (CVNI) lab, Dr. Brito Alvarado served as a research fellow at the Dominican Gamma Knife Center, where he co-authored several publications on Gamma Knife radiosurgery.
Ranferi Herrera Calderon, MD
Dr. Ranferi Herrera earned his medical degree from Universidad Anáhuac México, where he also completed academic training in humanism and ethics, bioethics, and leadership. He completed a research year at the Cerebrovascular Disease Clinic of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Mexico City and gained U.S. clinical experience in neurology and stroke. His research experience includes clinical trials and projects across diverse areas of cerebrovascular disease. He has contributed to peer-reviewed publications, scientific presentations, and continuing medical education initiatives in neurology and stroke care. He aims to become an academic endovascular neurologist focused on advancing cerebrovascular care and improving access to effective stroke treatments.
Undergraduate Students
Adam Deters
Adam Deters is an undergraduate student studying Human Physiology. His passion for the health sciences drives his curiosity to be involved with neurology research while contributing to important work improving patient outcomes. Adam hopes to become a physician and work to provide high-quality care to patient populations.
Jenny Huynh
Jenny Huynh is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa studying Biology. Her interest in neurology research stems from her desire to learn more about the human brain and her past experiences volunteering with the hospital's neuroscience unit. She plans on going to medical school and hopes to make meaningful differences in the lives of patients.
Afton Ronna
Afton Ronna is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa studying Human Physiology and Spanish. Her interest in neurology research is driven by her desire to explore all different aspects of healthcare in order to improve patient care and continue fostering connections across UI Healthcare. Aspiring to attend medical school, Afton believes that experiencing the full spectrum of medicine is vital to her journey to becoming a passionate, well-rounded provider.
Annabelle Ruth
Annabelle Ruth is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa studying Interdepartmental Studies in Health Sciences. Her interest in neurological research comes from her curiosity about how the brain works and desire to use that to help improve future patients' lives. She plans on going to medical school and hopes to contribute to advancements in patient care and treatment.