Dr Karla Flores is a medical doctor and specialist in family and community medicine, having graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE). She holds a PhD in epidemiology from Université Paul Sabatier III in Toulouse, France, as well as master’s degrees in public health from Universidad San Francisco de Quito and health management for local development from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja. She is also a certified Project Management Professional, with advanced training in public management, leadership and health technology assessment.

Her research focuses on public health systems, digital health innovation, bioethics and health equity, supported by peer-reviewed publications in international journals such as Global Health Action and Archives of Public Health. Throughout her professional career, she has held executive, institutional and academic leadership roles. She served as Undersecretary for National Health System Strengthening at the Vice Presidency of the Republic of Ecuador, where she led public policy initiatives in digital health and strategic partnerships.

Her experience also includes leading the Master of Epidemiology for Public Health program at PUCE, managing medical operations as Medical Coordinator at the Eloy Alfaro Clinical-Surgical Centre, and working as a Medical Science Liaison in the pharmaceutical sector. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Universidad Loyola, where she draws on her multidisciplinary expertise in public health, epidemiology and project management to advance evidence-based health solutions.