Dr. Valenzuela completed his M.D. with honors at the Colombian School of Medicine in 1987 and earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, Riverside in 1993. He pursued postdoctoral training and served as an Instructor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver from 1993 to 1998. In 1998, Dr. Valenzuela joined the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, where he currently holds the position of Regents’ Professor in the Department of Neurosciences. He also serves as the Director of the New Mexico Alcohol Research Center.
Dr. Valenzuela's primary research focuses on the effects of alcohol on synaptic transmission and plasticity during development. His significant contributions have advanced the understanding of how alcohol impacts neuronal circuit maturation. Additionally, he is the co-chair of the Nervous Systems, Special Senses, and Behavioral Health Block.
Dedicated to education, Dr. Valenzuela values his interactions with medical students, learning from their insightful questions, and witnessing their growth in confidence, skills, and knowledge.