Dr. Vargas is Professor, Neuroscience Cell Biology & Anatomy at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.  She is Director of the Advanced Bio-Optics Imaging Laboratory a research program focusing on the integration of engineering principles and advanced imaging with the biomedical sciences.  The laboratory conducts research applying the techniques of nonlinear optical microscopy and confocal endomicroscopy for the study of injury and disease processes and as potential tools in noninvasive diagnostics. Major areas of research focus include epithelial cancer diagnostics, endomicroscopic evaluation of epithelial injury and inflammation, and study of neuroinflammation through intravital and large scale multiphoton microscopy enabled by tissue optical clearing. She has received awards from sources such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas and a Fellow. She is also an active educator, mentoring trainees at all levels from high school, graduate and medical school level.   A specific interest is in advancing the representation of trainees from historically underrepresented groups in science and engineering, serving as Program Director for PREPing for SUCCESS, a post-baccalaureate training program aimed at increasing the matriculation of students from groups underrepresented in the sciences into PhD programs.   Dr. Vargas is highly active in scholarly service at the local and national level and is a fellow of AIMBE.