Bio

Victoria Cuéllar is a junior at Stanford University majoring in Human Biology with a concentration in Holistic Approaches to Health and Well-Being. She aspires to become a bilingual, culturally competent internal medicine physician who integrates science, empathy, and equity to improve care for underserved communities. Raised low-income and uninsured along the U.S.–Mexico border, Victoria brings lived insight to her commitment to holistic, patient-centered care that empowers people to feel agency and comfort in caring for their long-term well-being.

Her research spans neurodegenerative disease, gender equity in healthcare, and the intersections of neuroscience, psychology, and music, particularly how music-based interventions, including digital music medicine, can serve as culturally translatable and accessible approaches to mental health. Beyond research, she serves as a Patient Health Navigator and Preclinical Volunteer at Stanford’s Cardinal Free Clinics and as a STEMentor for introductory chemistry, roles through which she supports underrepresented groups in both clinical and classroom settings. Outside of academics, Victoria plays the cello and finds her greatest joy in time spent with friends and family.

Contact

  • Academic
    University - Student Department: Program in Human Biology Position: Undergraduate
    University - Student Department: Medicine - Med/Stanford Prevention Research Center Position: Graduate

Additional Info

  • Mail Code: 5080

All Publications

  • Comparison of treatment schedules on cognitive effects of rTMS in the 3xTg-AD model of Alzheimer's disease. Experimental neurology Heath, A. M., Mojabi, F. S., Kraybill, E. P., Beard, C., Venkataramanan, V., Cuéllar, V., Piekarski, D., McNerney, M. W. 2025: 115551

    Abstract

    Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising non-invasive therapy for improving cognition in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the optimal treatment parameters have yet to be elucidated. One important parameter is the treatment schedule. In this study, we used an established rodent low intensity rTMS stimulation protocol to compare cognitive and biochemical effects of a intensive treatment protocol (daily for 12 days) to a distributed protocol (twice a week for six weeks) in 12-month-old 3xTg-AD mice and B6 controls. We found that both protocols improved object place memory function, but only the distributed protocol improved working memory as measured with the Y-Maze. We did not find any effect of either rTMS protocol on BDNF or amyloid pathology, although these measures correlated well with activity and cognitive performance, suggesting rTMS improvement was independent of these mechanisms. Intensive rTMS increased choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons in the anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), which may be due to the function of this region in mediating cognitive and limbic circuitry. These results indicate that while both treatment protocols can improve specific aspects of recognition memory, only distributed rTMS improves working memory function, possibly due to causing less cognitive fatigue and physiological stress. Future studies should examine region specific changes relating working memory function and stress related signaling to further understand the mechanisms behind this important rTMS treatment parameter.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.expneurol.2025.115551

    View details for PubMedID 41238155