In his lab, he is focused on discovering and manipulating molecules that contribute to age-related deterioration of the motor system, and motor diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and muscular dystrophy. Valdez earned his BS in biochemistry from Lehman College (CUNY), where his research was supported by the NIH program for Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS). After obtaining a PhD in neurobiology and behavior from Stony Brook University in the lab of Simon Halegoua, Valdez carried out postdoctoral training in the lab of Joshua R. Sanes at Harvard University in the Center for Brain Sciences under the support of a Ruth R. Kirstein NRSA fellowship.