Gerardo obtained a BSc. in Psychology from the Universidad de Colima, Mexico, in 2017, where he explored the effects of demyelination in the brains of juvenile mice. Subsequently, Gerardo completed an MSc. in Neuroscience at the University of Southampton, UK, in 2019, where he investigated the expression of immune cell markers in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia. Following his keen interest in schizophrenia research, Gerardo began their PhD in Weickert’s lab at SUNY Upstate Medical University, US, in 2021, and later transferred to continue their doctoral studies at UNSW/NeuRA in early 2023.

Gerardo's research is focused on exploring how neuroinflammation could be impacting the midbrains of individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder—a brain region where dopamine is generated and which is associated with the pathophysiology of these mental disorders.