Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program
Geriatric Evidence & Research Initiative (GERI-AMAUTA)

Geriatric Evidence & Research Initiative (GERI-AMAUTA) is a multidisciplinary working group dedicated to advancing the care of older adults through rigorous research, evidence-based practice, and innovative approaches in geriatric medicine. Inspired by the Quechua word amauta (“a person of great wisdom who teaches and guides”), GERI-AMAUTA emphasizes knowledge, guidance, and mentorship in geriatric medicine. The group fosters collaboration among clinicians, researchers, and trainees to assess medical approaches, generate high-quality evidence, and translate findings into improved patient-centered care for the aging population.

Research Team

Eloy Ruiz Mendoza, MD – Founder & Director
Dr. Ruiz Mendoza leads GERI-AMAUTA’s research initiatives, overseeing study design, data analysis, and publication efforts. He is passionate about advancing evidence-based care for older adults and mentoring the next generation of geriatric researchers.

Camila Badell Davila, MD – Co-director
Dr. Badell Davila co-directs GERI-AMAUTA, guiding strategic planning, research coordination, and team development. She plays a key role in translating research findings into clinical practice to enhance geriatric care. Dr. Badell Davila completed her medical education at Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (Peru) in 2024. She currently works as a primary care physician, while also serving as a research collaborator at Mayo Clinic’s Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit.

Oscar Ponce Ponte, MD, MSc – Co-Founder & Senior Research Fellow
Dr. Ponce Ponte specializes in clinical research methodology, biostatistics, and artificial intelligence (AI). His current work focuses on developing AI models to make healthcare systems more patient-centered, with a particular emphasis on the aging population. He is an academic clinical fellow in Geriatric Medicine and Artificial Intelligence at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in the UK and serves as co-director of the Care and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Mayo Clinic’s Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit (https://carethatfits.org/care-and-ai-laboratory/).

Eric Tien Yen Chyn, MD, CMD – Research Fellow
Dr. Chyn brings expertise in geriatric medicine and quality improvement, contributing to study protocol implementation and applying research findings to practical clinical care.

Katherine Fung, DO – Research Fellow
Dr. Fung focuses on advancing geriatric care through evidence-based interventions and collaborative research initiatives, bridging research and clinical practice.

Maria Jose Lizarazo Jimenez, MD – Research Fellow
Dr. Lizarazo Jimenez supports GERI-AMAUTA research efforts through study design, data collection and analysis. She is dedicated to integrating research findings with clinical practice to improve outcomes for older adults. Dr. Lizarazo Jimenez completed her medical education at Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia) in 2021 and her Internal Medicine residency at Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá in 2025 (Colombia). She is currently a Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic’s Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit.