Biography
Braulio Mark Valencia Arroyo, MD, MSc, PhD, is a clinician–scientist and early-career researcher at the International Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. His expertise lies at the intersection of molecular diagnostics, infectious diseases, and translational research, with a strong focus on developing and applying disease biomarkers. His work spans the design and evaluation of observational and...view more
Braulio Mark Valencia Arroyo, MD, MSc, PhD, is a clinician–scientist and early-career researcher at the International Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. His expertise lies at the intersection of molecular diagnostics, infectious diseases, and translational research, with a strong focus on developing and applying disease biomarkers. His work spans the design and evaluation of observational and interventional studies, as well as the development of molecular assays for pathogen detection, particularly in neglected tropical diseases. He also investigates host genomic determinants of severity and susceptibility in acute and chronic infections. Dr Valencia Arroyo’s dual clinical and laboratory background has enabled him to contribute to high-impact systematic reviews and meta-analyses aimed at improving access to diagnostics and care pathways for viral and parasitic infections. His research is grounded in multidisciplinary collaborations across global health settings and reflects a consistent effort to integrate laboratory science with clinical and epidemiological insights. Driven by a commitment to equity, his clinical practice, teaching, and research are shaped by diverse global health experiences and a strong advocacy for priority populations. He is a passionate proponent of precision medicine, particularly its application to prevent and enable early, effective interventions for complex traits. His long-term vision is to ensure equitable access to personalised healthcare by translating cutting-edge multi-omics technologies into real-world primary care.
My Grants
2025 - 2026: UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme (AI, $82,496). Proposal: Next-Generation Neuroscience - From Mechanisms to Real-World Impact.
2024 - 2025: St Vincent's Clinic Foundation Research Grant (CI-C, $50,000). Proposal: Untangling the inherited and acquired host determinants predicting progression and persistence of HPV-driven anal disease.
2022 - 2023: Kirby Institute Emerging Investigator Awards, UNSW (CI-A, $ 7,000). Proposal: HESN-HCV: untangling the genetic basis of hepatitis C infection resistance.
2018 - 2022: PhD Scientia Scholarship, UNSW (CI-A, $40,000 yearly stipend and annual educational fees of $43,440).
2016 - 2017: Grants for Innovation, Science, and Technology – Peruvian Government (CI-C, US$ 125,000). Proposal: Early ultrasonographic detection of treatment response in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis patients.
2016 - 2017: Gorgas Memorial Foundation Research Grant Award, UAB, USA (CI-A, $ 27,000). Proposal: Point of Care testing for confirmatory diagnosis of Tegumentary Leishmaniasis: usefulness of two molecular approaches in endemic villages from Peru.
2015 - 2016: Fogarty Global Health Fellows (Grant 5R25TW009340-04), USA (CI-A, $ 82,000). Proposal: Parasite density as a biomarker of therapeutic response in cutaneous leishmaniasis: A multidisciplinary study based on volumetric and parasite load estimations.
My Qualifications
Associated Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), UK. 2024
PhD, Infection and Immunology. UNSW Sydney, Kirby Institute. 2023
Infectious Diseases Specialist. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. 2016
Master of Science, Control of Tropical and Infectious Diseases. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. 2011
Medical Doctor. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. 2008
My Awards
2023: Grant Writing Award, International Union of Immunological Societies. First prize in the grant writing competition held during the course “Epigenetic Regulation of Immune Responses”. Proposal title: Elucidating the Influence of Epigenetic Regulation on Immune Cells in the Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC). Kerala, India, October 2023.
2023: Travel Award, International Union of Immunological Societies. Full scholarship to participate in the “Epigenetic Regulation of Immune Responses” course. Kerala, India, October 2023.
2020 - 2021: Postgraduate Research Support Scheme (PRSS) funding for conference travel, UNSW ($ 2,800). To participate in the Genomics and Clinical Virology course, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.
2018 - 2019: Exchange Fellowships for early career researchers, Sydney partnership for health education research and enterprise (SPHERE) ($ 5,000). Proposal: Next Generation Sequencing for Detection and Identification of neglected viral pathogens in low-income settings.
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
ILP, Honours, Masters, and/or PhD students interested in clinical medicine and infectious diseases.
My research topics and expertise are broad due to my medical and research background and include:
- Observational studies: including analysis of prospective or retrospective data from cohort, case-control, or interventional studies.
- Systematic reviews and meta-analysis: protocol design, search and inclusion criteria, filtering of relevant investigations, report and analysis.
- Next-generation sequencing applied to infectious diseases: for pathogen and host genomic characterisation and association with disease severity. From DNA/RNA extraction to sequencing and bioinformatics.
Despite being preferentially oriented to infectious diseases, these topics could be applied to non-communicable diseases.
My Teaching
Lecturer – Society and Health (MFAC1527), UNSW Sydney, School of Medicine February 2025 - Present
Tutor – Musculoskeletal diseases (PATH3207), UNSW Sydney, School of Medical Sciences July 2021 - July 2024
Mentor – Molecular Basis of Disease (PATH3205), UNSW Sydney, School of Medical Sciences February 2020 - February 2024
Tutor – Clinical Immunology (PATH3209), UNSW Sydney, School of Medical Sciences July 2021 - July 2022
Tutor – Cancer Pathology (PATH3206), UNSW Sydney, School of Medical Sciences July 2021
Course Facilitator – Society and Health / Health maintenance A-B (Phase 1 courses), UNSW Sydney, School of Medicine February 2020 - 2021
Lecturer – Gorgas Course of Infectious Diseases, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), USA. February 2012 - February 2018