Velda Gonzalez-Mercado is an Assistant Professor at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Dr. Gonzalez-Mercado is a community-anchored nurse scientist and leader with years of clinical practice in Puerto Rico beginning with the adult population with cardiovascular diseases for which she was a key member of the leadership team that developed the only Heart Transplant Program in Puerto Rico, and continuing in pediatric and adult oncology in Puerto Rico and in New York City. Her research has been informed by these experiences. She has led NIH and other nursing foundation funded research studies on assessment and examination of biological risk factors for cancer-related-symptoms using omics approaches. She has been an important contributor to the emerging body of evidence of the role of the gut-brain axis and genomics in the worsening of cancer-related-symptoms, particularly among underserved Latinos. As a translational scientist, she is committed to improving the quality of life for cancer patients while mentoring the next generation of symptom scientists. Dr. Gonzalez-Mercado received her BSN from the University of Puerto Rico, her MSN from the University of Florida, her PhD from University of Kansas, and her Postdoctoral Fellowship from the University of South Florida College of Nursing.