Carlos Franco-Paredes

Dr. Carlos Franco-Paredes is a physician specializing in infectious diseases with an academic affiliation to the Hospital Infantil de Mexico, the Gorgas Institute in Panama, and to Colorado State University in the US. Dr. Franco-Paredes has dedicated his career to researching and addressing infectious diseases that impact vulnerable populations worldwide. His areas of research have included travel and tropical medicine focusing on social justice and health equity.

Dr. Franco-Paredes has held various leadership positions in prestigious academic institutions and healthcare organizations throughout his career. He has served as a professor and researcher, sharing his knowledge and mentoring other faculty mentors, medical students, residents and fellows. During his career, his efforts have focused on addressing the social forces that define who become ill and dies from diseases such as leprosy, tuberculosis, malaria, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and other neglected tropical diseases. 

Dr. Franco-Paredes continues to play a vital role in advancing knowledge, advocating for vulnerable populations, and shaping public health policies. His main interest in the last five years has been addressing health inequities among migrant-populations across the Americas, in particular when crossing the Darien Gap in Panama as a Fulbright Global Scholar. Additionally, he has been a medical expert in several lawsuits and inspected correctional facilities across the United States in collaboration with civil rights and immigration attorneys and advocacy groups. As an activist working with Colorado re-entry organizations, he promotes health care and healthcare equity for formerly incarcerated individuals.