About Me

Dr. Zapata grew up in the Philippines in a household with dogs, cats, and birds, which sparked his passion for veterinary medicine. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), specializing in companion animal medicine, from the University of the Philippines in 2008, followed by a PhD in Veterinary Medical Sciences from the University of Calgary in 2018. He completed postdoctoral training in endocrinology and metabolism at the University of California, San Diego, and in cerebrovascular sciences at the University of Missouri before joining Texas Tech University.

Instruction

His teaching interests focus on metabolic physiology, with particular emphasis on the utility of One Health approaches in non-communicable disease research.

Research

His research explores many aspects of endocrinology and metabolism, including nutrition, adipose tissue biology, feeding behavior, and diabetes. Currently, he is dedicated to uncovering what makes some domestic animals uniquely resilient or more likely to experience remission from diabetes. His work improves our understanding of these unique pathophysiological features, which can later be applied to advance human medicine.

Service

He has been a long-time member of the Obesity Society and the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. He also serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for scientific journals and granting agencies.