Nydia Morales-Soto

Biography

Dr. Nydia Morales-Soto serves as Assistant Director for Research and Partnerships at the Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame, where she provides strategic leadership across interdisciplinary global health priorities. In this role, she manages the development of collaborative research programs, supports research development, and strengthens partnerships across Bangladesh, Ecuador, Indiana (U.S.A.), Kenya, and Mexico.

Dr. Morales-Soto also co-leads or provides strategic direction to several of the Institute’s signature efforts, including:

• The Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Initiative

• Non-Communicable Diseases Research

• Infectious Diseases Research

• Global Health Security Research

• The Global Health Student Research Teams

• The Global Health Club of Notre Dame
  
  

Dr. Morales-Soto plays a central role in building and sustaining an ecosystem that integrates research, training, and community engagement through reciprocal approaches to global health. She offers guidance to investigators and students, helping shape interdisciplinary teams grounded in trust and co-creation. With a strong focus on building and maintaining strategic relationships, she manages collaborations with community-based organizations, government entities, and academic institutions, among others, to ensure that global health research at Notre Dame is co-designed, equitable, and responsive to shared health challenges.

Dr. Morales-Soto serves on Notre Dame’s Health & Wellbeing Focus Working Group and the internal advisory board for IMPACT: Immunoengineering Microgravity Platform for Accessible Cell-Based Therapies. She also serves on the CTSI Reciprocal Innovation Global Health Advisory Committee, where, alongside colleagues from Indiana University, Purdue University, and the University of Notre Dame, she has contributed to shaping the principles and practice of reciprocal innovation. This work emphasizes:

• Co-development and shared knowledge

• Locally driven priorities and global relevance
  
  

Scientific Expertise & Interdisciplinary Research Contributions
Dr. Morales-Soto holds a doctorate in microbiology and molecular biology. Her research has been featured in The Telegraph and highlighted as an “Editor’s Pick” on the cover of two Journal of Biological Chemistry issues, including a special issue on antibiotic resistance. She leads the Andean Health & Development Initiative and directs research on antibiotic resistance surveillance and epidemiology in Ecuador. She also co-developed and co-leads research focused on program evaluation and Latino and Hispanic health in Northern Indiana, integrating students into the research process and generating insights that serve local needs.

Her background, shaped by collaborations with colleagues across the social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, and others, provides her with the technical fluency and interdisciplinary perspective to advance global health research beyond infectious disease and bench-based science.

Education & Training Contributions
With over two decades of experience in education and training, Dr. Morales-Soto has taught and mentored undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students across disciplines. She has taught microbiology for nursing students, guest lectured on a wide range of topics, and co-developed the interdisciplinary course Latino Health: Social, Cultural, and Scientific Perspectives. She established a mentoring program for molecular biology students at UW-Milwaukee and developed the Global Health Student Research Teams at Notre Dame. Dr. Morales-Soto is dedicated to expanding opportunities for a diverse student body and helping students see how their unique backgrounds and areas of expertise can shape their contributions as global health leaders.

Leadership through Service & Community
Dr. Morales-Soto serves as Chair of the Somos ND Committee and of AdelanteND: Latinx Staff and Faculty Association, where she is committed to building bridges and strengthening Notre Dame’s beloved community by fostering connection, amplifying diverse voices, and honoring the contributions and history that enrich Notre Dame’s scholarship and mission.