For Miriam Rodriguez, PhD, a marathon is not just a foot race; it’s a perfect metaphor for her career. As a researcher currently training for her third half-marathon, she knows that both distance running and scientific discovery require a "long game" mindset.
"Running has become both a personal challenge and a way to recharge," Rodriguez said.
She’s bringing this same resilience to the 2026 Spring Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRC) meeting in Atlanta, where she will represent Indiana University and the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center as she presents vital research on how to better support the family and friends behind the patients.
The 'hook': Why one-size-fits-all fails
In the world of Alzheimer’s disease, the focus is often on the patient, but Rodriguez focuses on the caregivers. If you catch her in a hotel elevator and ask what she does, her "hook" is simple: "Caregiver burden in dementia isn’t experienced equally across communities."
In her study of 182 caregivers from diverse backgrounds, she found that the sources of stress vary by culture. For example:
- Hispanic/Latino caregivers: Stress is often tied to how confident they feel managing upsetting thoughts.
- White caregivers: Stress is more closely linked to how much social support they feel they have.
Because of these differences, Rodriguez argues that one-size-fits-all interventions may fall short. To truly help, strategies must reflect each community’s unique needs.
A mission rooted in family
The transition from observing brain decline to actively helping families was deeply personal for Rodriguez. Ten years ago, a member of her own family was diagnosed with dementia.
"I witnessed firsthand the profound emotional, physical and logistical toll the disease takes — not only on the individual, but on their family caregivers," she said.
She quickly noticed significant gaps in culturally appropriate support for Hispanic families. This realization changed everything.
"That experience reshaped my professional mission," she said.
She is now dedicated to creating effective, real-world interventions which are more relevant to caregivers' lived experiences.
Pulling double duty at the spring meeting
At the upcoming 2026 Spring ADRC meeting, Rodriguez isn't just presenting a poster; she's also participating in a mock study session where she will gain experience in the study section review process.
This is important because she is currently preparing to submit her first R01 application, a major federal grant that funds long-term research. She sees this meeting as a chance to gain useful tools to take into consideration for her own proposal as she aims to position it for success.
Beyond the technical work, she is looking for meaningful connections with investigators who share a commitment to advancing dementia care.
Looking beyond the surface
Rodriguez recently published a major review in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. She looked at 25 different programs designed for Hispanic caregivers and found a missing piece: most programs ignore "intersectional" factors like religion and income.
"Broader sociocultural and structural factors are rarely meaningfully integrated into intervention design," she said.
By fixing this, she believes programs can be developed that actually improve outcomes for informal family caregivers.
The finish line
When the research gets tough, and she needs to unplug, Rodriguez heads home to her happy place, alongside her husband and their three children.
Whether they are hiking, supporting her during a half-marathon, or just simply laughing and being silly together at home, they are the reason she keeps running the long race toward better care for everyone.
