Dr. Bronas is a Professor and the Associate Dean for Research at the Berkley School of Nursing. He has dedicated his career to developing sustainable, community-engaged exercise interventions designed to prevent and manage chronic diseases. His interdisciplinary research program is uniquely positioned at the intersection of physiology, behavior, and environment, resulting in a continuous record of federal support totaling over $46 million in external funding as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator (Co-I). Professor Bronas leads a vibrant research portfolio as Principal Investigator. His current NIH funded projects include investigations related to Accelerated Age-related Cognitive Decline, and the Impact of Exercise on Executive Function and Neuroplasticity, and investigations on how daily experiences and physical environments influence long-term lifestyle habits. He also recently completed studies investigating lifestyle change in older adults with kidney disease and in older Latino adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Other recently completed NIH funded studies provided critical insights into how stress reactivity contributes to racial and ethnic disparities in cognitive function. In recognition of Professor Bronas work, he was awarded Distinguished Researcher at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). With over 170 publications and an H-index of 30, Dr. Bronas contributes to science and healthcare approaches across disciplines. He is an internationally recognized expert in peripheral vascular disease and cowrote the guidelines for exercise therapy in patients with claudication and has provided insight into symptom science. His work is expanding into the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches in understanding cognitive decline, and to personalize treatments approaches and improve nutritional adherence for patients with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome and predict frailty in liver transplant outcomes. Dr. Bronas has provided insight into sex dimorphism in revascularization and limb salvage through hi investigations in the genetic regulation of microvascular function in patient with chronic limb threatening ischemia. Through his commitment to health equity, he continues to develop culturally appropriate physical activity programs for Latino/Latina communities, ensuring that cutting-edge science translates into measurable improvements in community health and cognitive resilience. His expertise in physiological and exercise testing protocols has made him a sought-after collaborator across disciplines. As a Co-Investigator, he has contributed to a wide array of NIH-funded randomized controlled trials, including studies in cardiovascular disease, pregnancy, diabetes, music therapy, and COPD. His leadership extends to the executive level of NIA-funded centers, including serving as Director of the Biobehavioral Intervention Core for the P30 Roybal Center for Healthy Aging and provided senior leadership for the P30 RCMAR Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging. Dr. Bronas continues to shift the status quo, identifying the mechanisms—from microvascular environments to geolocation activity spaces—that empower individuals to maintain independence and cognitive health across the lifespan.
