Dr. Juan Pablo
González-Rivas M.D.
Bernard Lown Scholar in Cardiovascular Health. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Foundation for Clinical, Epidemiological, and Public Health Research of Venezuela (FISPEVEN), Venezuela.
About
Dr. Juan Pablo González-Rivas is a physician-researcher dedicated to advancing cardiovascular and cardiometabolic health in underserved populations. As a Bernard Lown Scholar at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, he leads research initiatives focused on diabetes prevention, hypertension control, and health misinformation across low- and middle-income countries.
With over 122 publications—including work in The Lancet, Nature, and Nature Medicine—Dr. González-Rivas has contributed to landmark global health studies while maintaining a unique focus on Latin America and Central Europe. He has successfully secured multiple research grants and founded two impactful initiatives: METRICS, an international consortium of cardiometabolic researchers, and PRODI, a health education platform reaching thousands across Latin America.
Dr. González-Rivas brings extensive clinical experience as a specialist in Internal Medicine and has navigated the intersection of research and humanitarian crisis, conducting vital epidemiological studies in Venezuela during unprecedented challenges. His work transculturalizes lifestyle medicine interventions, making preventive care accessible and effective across diverse populations.
My Book
The Migrant’s Odyssey: A Doctor’s Journey Through Crisis and Transformation
From white coat to survival, from identity to exile.
As a successful Venezuelan doctor forced into exile by my country’s crisis, I experienced the collapse of identity that comes with losing everything. In this intimate memoir, I share my journey through anxiety, depersonalization, and ultimately, transformation.
This isn’t just a border story—it’s a tale of self-discovery. Using my analytical mind to dissect migration as a universal process of catharsis, I explore what it means to lose yourself and find the strength to be reborn, authentically.
The Migrant’s Odyssey speaks to anyone who has felt lost, proving that in uprooting, we discover the power to reclaim our essence and transform uncertainty into purpose.
Research Interests
My research focuses on making cardiovascular and cardiometabolic health achievable for populations worldwide, particularly in resource-limited settings. Key areas include:
- Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention & Management – Developing and implementing evidence-based interventions for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and related conditions
- Lifestyle Medicine & Transcultural Adaptation – Adapting preventive care programs to work effectively across diverse cultural contexts and healthcare systems
- Implementation Science – Translating research into sustainable, real-world health programs in low- and middle-income countries
- Global Health Epidemiology – Leading large-scale population studies to understand risk factors and disease burden
- Health Misinformation – Investigating the spread and impact of cardiovascular health misinformation through social media and developing counter-strategies
- Health Equity & Social Determinants – Examining how socioeconomic factors, education, and crisis conditions affect cardiometabolic health outcomes
Current Positions
My research focuses on making cardiovascular and cardiometabolic health achievable for populations worldwide, particularly in resource-limited settings. Key areas include:
- Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention & Management – Developing and implementing evidence-based interventions for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and related conditions
- Lifestyle Medicine & Transcultural Adaptation – Adapting preventive care programs to work effectively across diverse cultural contexts and healthcare systems
- Implementation Science – Translating research into sustainable, real-world health programs in low- and middle-income countries
- Global Health Epidemiology – Leading large-scale population studies to understand risk factors and disease burden
- Health Misinformation – Investigating the spread and impact of cardiovascular health misinformation through social media and developing counter-strategies
- Health Equity & Social Determinants – Examining how socioeconomic factors, education, and crisis conditions affect cardiometabolic health outcomes
Key Achievements
📊 Research Impact
- 122+ peer-reviewed publications including original research, reviews, and book chapters
- Published in leading journals: The Lancet, Nature, Nature Medicine, BMJ Open, PLOS ONE
- H-Index: 24 | i10-Index: 47
- 60 conference presentations at national and international meetings
💰 Funded Research
- Successfully secured 3 research grants as Principal Investigator (total ~$90,000)
- Misinformation on Cardiovascular Health (2023-2025)
- Venezuela Hypertension Project using WHO HEARTS Package (2023-2024)
- HITS Diabetes Prevention Program (2020-2021)
- Co-Investigator on major studies totaling $350,000+
🌍 Global Collaboration
- Led 3 major national epidemiological studies in Venezuela (2006-2019)
- Senior Researcher for Kardiovize Study in Czech Republic (2019-2024)
- Consultant for Lancet Commission on Type 1 Diabetes (2025)
- Member of NCD Risk Factor Collaboration contributing to landmark global health analyses
🎓 Mentorship & Training
- Trained 60+ novice researchers through Venezuela’s «Pyramid of Researchers» project
- Supervised 8 thesis projects across multiple universities
- Research Award from Venezuelan Society of Internal Medicine (2018)