Maria Nagel, MD

Dr. Maria Nagel is a physician-scientist specializing in viral infections of the nervous system. Her lab at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center examines how the chicken pox and shingles virus (varicella zoster virus) causes stroke, heart attacks and dementia. Her lab also examines the role of the cold sore virus (HSV-1) in migraines, facial pain and cognitive impairment. In her Neurology Clinic, she evaluates and manages patients with neuroinfectious diseases.

She has over 96 publications and given invited lectureships in multiple international conferences. Her articles on Burning Mouth Syndrome has led to interviews posted on livescience.com and huffingtonpost.com. Exciting new work in her lab demonstrates that zoster (shingles) confers an amyloid-promoting environment, potentially accelerating amyloid-associated diseases of aging including Alzheimer's dementia, diabetes mellitus, and macular degeneration. She recently started Pharmavir, Inc. with her colleague, Dr. Andrew Bubak, to develop a repurposed drug for virus infections and dementia. 
 
Dr. Nagel actively mentors students that are underrepresented in health sciences from local Denver high schools and colleges. She has successfully obtained grants for her students from their respective schools and from the National Institute of Health supplements to promote diversity, as well as established educational visits for Odyssey Elementary School children to the Anschutz Medical Center in collaboration with the University of Colorado Office of Inclusion and Outreach.