Francisco Moreno, MD

Associate Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion
Professor, Psychiatry

Dr. Francisco Moreno is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and Associate Vice President for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Director of the Hispanic Center of Excellence at the UArizona Health Sciences. He also has served as executive vice chair, interim department head and as director for inpatient, outpatient, residency and research programs in the Department of Psychiatry. He has a special interest in working with the underserved and has established clinical, educational and research collaborations to decrease the gap of mental health services for immigrants in Arizona. He has been conducting research in biology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, geared to improve our understanding of the brain basis for mental illness and the underlying mechanism of action of antidepressants / antianxiety drugs, and treatment resistance. Dr. Moreno has served since 2009 as institutional representative to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI). In 2010, he was elected Western Region Representative of the AAMC GDI. He also served as a member of the first elected GDI National Steering Committee from 2010 to 2012. In this capacity, he helped identify strategic priorities for diversity, inclusion and equity applicable to all AAMC U.S. and Canadian member colleges. A UA faculty member since 1997, after he graduated form the UArizona COM-T residency program in 2016. Dr. Moreno has served in a variety of roles at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson related to academic administration; undergraduate, graduate and continuing medical education; faculty development; promotion; research compliance; resource utilization; and community advocacy. He is a former chairman of the Faculty Diversity Advisory Committee at the UA College of Medicine.

UArizona Health Sciences Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
UArizona Health Sciences Hispanic Center of Excellence

Research Interests: 

Dr. Moreno through his research collaborations utilizes various research methodologies such as molecular, biochemical, electrophysiological and behavioral correlates of depression. Biology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders are key areas of his research interest. His work is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Private Foundations, and Collaborations with Industry. He has supervised and mentored a number of interdisciplinary students, psychiatry residents, research fellows and junior faculty. His clinical interest and expertise include treatment resistant mood and anxiety disorders, and serves often as a psychopharmacology consultant to government institutions, health insurances, and pharmaceutical/device industry.

Selected Publications: 
Degrees
  • MD: Autonomous University of Baja California, 1988
Residency
  • The University of Arizona Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Neuropsychopharmacology
Board Certifications
  • American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, 2000

Publications

2020

Ranjbar, N., M. Erb, O. Mohammad, and F. A. Moreno, "Trauma-Informed Care and Cultural Humility in the Mental Health Care of People From Minoritized Communities.", Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ), vol. 18, issue 1, pp. 8-15, 2020 Jan. PMCID: PMC7011220  PMID: 32047392

2016

Howe, G. W., M. Cimporescu, R. Seltzer, J. Neiderhiser, F. Moreno, and K. Weihs, "Combining stress exposure and stress generation: Does neuroticism alter the dynamic interplay of stress, depression, and anxiety following job loss?", J Pers, 2016 May 20. PMCID: PMC5116422  PMID: 27197979

2012

Howe, G. W., A. P. Hornberger, K. Weihs, F. Moreno, and J. M. Neiderhiser, "Higher-order structure in the trajectories of depression and anxiety following sudden involuntary unemployment.", J Abnorm Psychol, vol. 121, issue 2, pp. 325-38, 2012 May. PMCID: PMC3621986  PMID: 22103803
Chong, J., and F. Moreno, "Feasibility and acceptability of clinic-based telepsychiatry for low-income Hispanic primary care patients.", Telemed J E Health, vol. 18, issue 4, pp. 297-304, 2012 May. PMID: 22424078

2011

Breitborde, N. Jk, F. A. Moreno, N. Mai-Dixon, R. Peterson, L. Durst, B. Bernstein, S. Byreddy, and W. R. McFarlane, "Multifamily group psychoeducation and cognitive remediation for first-episode psychosis: a randomized controlled trial.", BMC Psychiatry, vol. 11, pp. 9, 2011. PMCID: PMC3030530  PMID: 21226941