Natalia (Natasha) Palacios

Expertise

Environmental Health and Neuro-Epidemiology

Research Interests

• Gut Microbiome and Alzheimer's disease
• Gut Microbiome and Parkinson's disease
• Gut Virome
• Epidemiology of Neurodegenerative Disease

Education

• Bachelor of Art: Biochemistry - Rice University
• Master of Science: Biostatistics and Epidemiology - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Doctor of Philosophy: Nutritional Epidemiology - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Doctor of Science: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Biosketch

Natalia Palacios is an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a visiting scientist at Harvard University. Her research focuses on the role of the gut microbiome in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Palacios leads several large NIH-funded studies that integrate gut metagenomics, the gut virome, gut-derived metabolites, and serum metabolomics to investigate how the microbiome influences disease risk, progression, and underlying biological mechanisms.

Selected Publications

• Dinesh, D., Morgan, X. C., Jensen, J., Bjornevik, K., Schwarzschild, M. A., Ascherio, A., Huttenhower, C., Palacios, N. (2026). Shotgun Metagenomic Profiling of the Gut Virome in Prodromal and Confirmed Parkinson's Disease. Annals of neurolog. doi: 10.1002/ana.78243. Online ahead of print.PMID: 42204574
• Dinesh, D., Morgan, X. C., Kim, H., Scott, T. M., Garelnabi, M., Lee, J. S., Mangano, K. M., Nguyen, L. H., Huttenhower, C., Tucker, K. L., Palacios, N. (2026). Gut Microbial Variations Associated With Proton Pump Inhibitor Use in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Pharmacology research & perspectives. 14(1):e70205. doi: 10.1002/prp2.70205.
• Palacios, N., Wilkinson, J., Bjornevik, K., Schwarzschild, M. A., McIver, L., Ascherio, A., Huttenhower, C. (2023). Metagenomics of the Gut Microbiome in Parkinson's Disease: Prodromal Changes. Annals of neurology. 94(3):486-501. doi: 10.1002/ana.26719. Epub 2023 Jul 8.PMID: 37314861
• Palacios, N., Gordon, S., Wang, T., Burk, R., Qi, Q., Huttenhower, C., Gonzalez, H. M., Knight, R., De Carli, C., Daviglus, M., Lamar, M., Telavera, G., Tarraf, W., Kosciolek, T., Cai, J., Kaplan, R. C. (2025). Gut microbiome and cognitive function in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Journal of Alzheimer's disease. 108(1):84-97. doi: 10.1177/13872877251376911. Epub 2025 Oct 9.PMID: 41065113
• Gordon, S., Lee, J. S., Scott, T. M., Bhupathiraju, S., Ordovas, J., Kelly, R. S., Bhadelia, R., Koo, B. B., Bigornia, S., Tucker, K. L., Palacios, N. (2025). Metabolites and MRI-derived markers of dementia risk in a Puerto Rican cohort. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society. 13;21(6):161. doi: 10.1007/s11306-025-02240-4.PMID: 41233603
• Gordon, S., Lee, J. S., Scott, T. M., Bhupathiraju, S., Ordovas, J., Kelly, R. S., Tucker, K. L., Palacios, N. (2024). Metabolites and Cognitive Decline in a Puerto Rican Cohort. Journal of Alzheimer's disease. 2024;99(s2):S345-S353. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230053.PMID: 38578885
• Dinesh, D., Shao, Q., Palnati, M., McDannold, S., Zhang, Q., Monfared, A. A. T., Jasuja, G. K., Davila, H., Xia, W., Moo, L. R., Miller, D. R., Palacios, N. (2023). The epidemiology of mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in U.S. veterans. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 19(9):3977-3984. doi: 10.1002/alz.13071. Epub 2023 Apr 28.PMID: 37114952
• Everett, C., Li, C., Wilkinson, J. E., Nguyen, L. H., McIver, L. J., Ivey, K., Izard, J., Palacios, N., Eliassen, A. H., Willett, W. C., Ascherio, A., Sun, Q., Tworoger, S. S., Chan, A. T., Garrett, W. S., Huttenhower, C., Rimm, E. B., Song, M. (2021). Overview of the Microbiome Among Nurses study (Micro-N) as an example of prospective characterization of the microbiome within cohort studies. Nature protocols. 16(6):2724-2731. doi: 10.1038/s41596-021-00519-z. Epub 2021 Apr 21.PMID: 33883746
• Wilkinson JE, Franzosa EA, Everett C, Li C; HCMPH researchers and trainees; HCMPH investigators; Hu FB, Wirth DF, Song M, Chan AT, Rimm E, Garrett WS, Huttenhower C. (2021). A framework for microbiome science in public health. Nature Medicine. 27(5):766-774. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01258-0. Epub 2021 Apr 5.
• Sahasrabudhe, N., Lee, J., Scott, T.M., Punnett, L., Tucker, K.L., Palacios, N. (2020). Serum Vitamin D and Depressive Symptomatology among Boston-Area Puerto Ricans. The Journal of nutrition.
• Palacios, N., Scott, T., Sahasrabudhe, N., Gao, X., Tucker, K.L. (2019). Lower Plasma Vitamin B-6 is Associated with 2-Year Cognitive Decline in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. The Journal of nutrition,149(4) 635-641.
• Palacios, N., Scott, T., Sahasrabudhe, N., Gao, X., Tucker, K.L. (2019). Serum vitamin D and cognition in a cohort of Boston-area Puerto Ricans. Nutritional neuroscience, 1-8.
• Palacios, N., Fitzgerald, K., Roberts, A.L., Hart, J.E., Weisskopf, M.G., Schwarzschild, M.A., Ascherio, A., Laden, F. (2014). A prospective analysis of airborne metal exposures and risk of Parkinson disease in the nurses’ health study cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives, (9).
• Palacios, N., Fitzgerald, K., Roberts, A.L., Hart, J.E., Weisskopf, M.G., Schwarzschild, M.A., Ascherio, A., Laden, F. (2014). A Prospective Analysis of Airborne Metal Exposures and Risk of Parkinson Disease in the Nurses’ Health Study Cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives,122(9) 933 - 938.
• Palacios, N., Ascherio, A. (2013). Reply to: Diabetes and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Movement Disorders,28(2) 258.
• Palacios, N., Gao, X., O’Reilly, E., Schwarzschild, M., McCullough, M.L., Mayo, T., Gapstur, S.M., Ascherio, A.A. (2012). Alcohol and risk of Parkinson’s disease in a large, prospective cohort of men and women. Movement Disorders, (8) 980.
• Palacios, N., Gao, X., McCullough, M.L., Schwarzschild, M.A., Shah, R., Gapstur, S., Ascherio, A. (2012). Caffeine and risk of Parkinson’s disease in a large cohort of men and women. Movement Disorders,27(10) 1276.
• Palacios, N., Claire Simon, K. (2012). Commentary: Smoking and multiple sclerosis, cause or coincidence?. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders,1 106 - 107.
• Palacios, N., Gao, X., Schwarzschild, M., Ascherio, A. (2012). Declining Quality of Life in Parkinson Disease Patients before and after Diagnosis (P06. 064). Neurology,78(1 Supplement) P06–064.
• Palacios, N., Roberts, A., Weisskopf, M., Schwarzschild, M., Laden, F., Ascherio, A. (2012). E-002: Exposure to Airborne Metals and risk of Parkinson Disease in a Prospective Study of US Women. Epidemiology,23(5S).
• Palacios, N., Claire Simon, K. (2012). Smoking and multiple sclerosis, cause or coincidence?. Multiple Sclerosis And Related Disorders,1(3) 106 - 107.
• Palacios, N., Gao, X., McCullough, M.L., Jacobs, E.J., Patel, A.V., Mayo, T., Schwarzschild, M.A., Ascherio, A. (2011). Obesity, diabetes, and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Movement Disorders,26(12) 2253.
• Gao, X., Lyall, K., Palacios, N., Walters, A., Ascherio, A., Gao, X., Lyall, K., Palacios, N., Walters, A.S., Ascherio, A. (2011). RLS in middle aged women and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in their offspring. Sleep Medicine,12(1) 89 - 91.
• Palacios, N., Alonso, A., Brønnum-Hansen, H., Ascherio, A. (2011). Smoking and Increased Risk of Multiple Sclerosis: Parallel Trends in the Sex Ratio Reinforce the Evidence. Annals of Epidemiology,21 536 - 542.
• Palacios, N., Alonso, A., Brønnum-Hansen, H., Ascherio, A. (2010). Variations in the gender ratio of multiple sclerosis linked to converging smoking trends in men and women.

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

Active Awards:

• 2023-2028 NIH R01AG075922. Role: PI. Microbiome Multi-Omics and Cognitive Decline in Latinos - National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Aging (NIA). Budget: 3,280,719 (5 years)
• 2025-2030 NIH 1R01AG085320. Role: PI. Microbiome and AD/ADRD Risk in SOL - National Institute of Health/National Institute of Aging (NIH/NIA). Budget: $3,906,380 (5 years).

Completed Awards:

• 2016-2024 NIH R01NS097723. Role:PI. The Gut Microbiome and Parkinson Disease - National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke. Budget: $2,814,693.
• 2010-2016 NIH K01 Mentored Research Scientist Award. Role: PI. Agency: Air Pollution and Parkinson’s Disease - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Budget: $595,786.