Natalia Palacios

Natalia Palacios, Ph.D

Associate Professor, Graduate Program Coordinator for the Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) in Public Health

College
Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
Department
Public Health, Climate Change Initiative
Phone
978-934-5373
Office
O'Leary 540V
Email
Natalia_Palacios@uml.edu
Links

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

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): Nutritional Epidemiology - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Doctor of Science (Sc.D.): Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Master of Science (M.S.): Biostatistics and Epidemiology - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): Biochemistry - Rice University

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.