From Neuroimaging to COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Jonathan (Johnny) Uriarte filled his undergraduate studies with a variety of experiences on his way to earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Portland State University’s Honors College in 2019 after transferring from Chemeketa Community College. As a Cohort 2 Scholar in the EXITO Program, he interned at the Developmental Cognition and Neuroimaging (DCAN) lab at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) with his mentor, Dr. Eric Feczko. A member of the infant and the computing teams, Johnny collaborated with many members of the lab, but his primary role became process and quality control for neuroimaging scans for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). 

Johnny reflects on how he came to this area of interest in biomedical research.

“I first got interested in neuroscience through my own experiences and self-study on neurodevelopmental disorders and concussions.”

While in school, he further developed his knowledge by volunteering with NorthWest Noggin through Portland State’s Neuroscience Club, where he assisted in outreach efforts to underserved schools and taught children about neuroscience through science and art. 

Johnny was also selected as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. Through the program, he completed a research project to assess and improve the quality of standardized publicly available datasets in neuroimaging for the purpose of autism research. During this time, Johnny also fulfilled his pre-medical course requirements, as his goal was to become a physician and a medical researcher. He envisions a  future helping underserved and underrepresented populations in healthcare by conducting research in the field of neuroscience and studying autism or traumatic brain injuries. 

When the pandemic hit a lot changed, and Johnny served on the front lines as a contact tracer and a Spanish Bilingual Community Care Specialist with the Oregon Public Health Institute (OPHI) . He worked to gather and document demographic data information to the Oregon Health Authority, conducting interviews with community members who tested positive for COVID-19. He also quality assessed medical data and scheduled individuals for COVID-19 vaccine appointments. 

Now Johnny is reconsidering his next steps and re-evaluating his plans based on present needs. “The toughest challenge was putting my physician aspirations on hold to financially support my family. Working with OPHI allowed me to resolve these issues, and I was able to recover some lost time with my family while working from home. Right now I’m figuring out a new career path, and taking a much needed break.”

As Johnny reflects on his time in EXITO he remarks, “the connections I made either with my cohort or my RLC were life changing. They were some of the first people I reached out to when I needed guidance or support. I’ve learned that it’s ok to ask for help after you do all you can on your own.“ As for the life after EXITO, he has this to share,

“The thought that even though I don’t know what will happen next, I will always have my people around me.“