Belmaliz Cardona Rodriguez was born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. She attended the University of Puerto Rico of Mayagüez where she completed her bachelor’s degree in industrial microbiology. She found her interest in research by working in the Extremophiles and Mycology labs of Dr. Rafael Montalvo and Dr. Sandra Maldonado. During this time, she shadowed a periodontist where she learned about periodontitis and became curious about unsolved questions within the dental research field. In 2022, she joined the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research post baccalaureate research program in the lab of Dr. Niki Moutsopoulos; joining a team working towards understanding the immunology of the oral mucosa. Being able to connect the research and clinical aspects of this field developed her desire to pursue a DDS/PhD. Currently she is working on a project characterizing oral fibroblasts in periodontitis mouse models. During her free time she enjoys the outdoors, spending time with friends, sports, and music.
