By Erika Howlett
There are posters with Melissa Zamora’s phone number all throughout the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. Patients who are interested in research studies can call Zamora, who knows every study and clinical trial the institute is working on, and she connects participants with these opportunities.
“Every day is different,” Zamora said, describing her work as a patient navigator. Her main role is to bridge the clinical side with research activities at the institute, but she routinely goes above and beyond. Patients call her when they need to reach their providers, refill their medications or schedule appointments, and she helps them solve problems. She also assists in clinics and studies in both San Antonio and Laredo.
Zamora started at UT Health San Antonio 11 years ago in a front desk role, where she knew every patient by name and always looked forward to chatting with them. She has worked in her current position at the Biggs Institute for four years.
“What I love the most is working with the patients, actually speaking with them and their families and helping them as best as I can,” Zamora said.
The establishment of the Center for Brain Health, which opens in December 2025 and will house the Biggs Institute, has her busier than ever. This new five-story, 103,000-square-foot facility will begin a new era of research and progress for UT Health San Antonio and the South Texas region.
Zamora describes the center as an all-in-one experience for patients, who will be able to access neurology appointments, physical therapy, support groups, research and more all under one roof.
“The Center for Brain Health will be very accommodating for the families and the patients,” Zamora said.
Her communication and teamwork skills help her to keep things running smoothly behind the scenes of this critical operation.
As a self-described social butterfly, Zamora said her favorite part of her job is connecting with the patients she helps.
“It’s a hard department to work in because of each diagnosis and how much it affects families, but I try my best to be able to make it a little easier for them,” she said.
Zamora is very proud to work at the Biggs Institute, which is a National Institute on Aging (NIA)-designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be at this institute,” she said. “I’ve seen it grow to what it is now and it’s going to keep growing.
“I do plan to retire from here,” Zamora added. “I just feel like I’m really lucky to be in this position.”
Interested in joining Melissa’s impactful work? See open positions at the Center for Brain Health.