Board-Certified Allergist & Immunologist · Board-Certified Pediatrician
Fellow, AAAAI & ACAAI · Castle Connolly Top Doctor
Dr. Zambrano’s passion for allergy and immunology is deeply personal. Growing up in a “highly allergic family” in Ecuador, his interest in the specialty was ignited early in medical school. The defining moment came during a summer spent shadowing his family’s allergist — his sister’s and father’s doctor — when he fell in love with the field. That experience continues to shape the empathy and dedication he brings to every patient encounter.
After practicing in Dover, Delaware for three years, he and his family relocated to Houston in 2003 to join Southwest Asthma & Allergy Associates — and the city has proudly been home ever since.
He is happily married to his wife Grace, a pediatrician in private practice in Houston. Together they have two children: Isabella, and Juanpablo (JP) — who has had a peanut allergy since early childhood, giving Dr. Zambrano a parent’s intimate perspective on navigating food allergies in daily life.
Originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, Dr. Juan Carlos Zambrano’s path to becoming one of Houston’s most respected allergist-immunologists is a story of passion, purpose, and a deeply personal connection to his specialty. He earned his medical degree from the Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil in 1991. During his final year, he was selected to perform clinical rotations at Jackson Memorial Hospital of the University of Miami as part of the prestigious Latin American Training Program — where he worked in the Pediatric Immunology Division under Dr. Gwendolyn Scott, an experience that led directly to his doctoral thesis on selenium deficiency and cardiomyopathy in children infected with HIV.
After completing his Pediatric residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Zambrano pursued his Allergy and Immunology Fellowship at the University of Virginia under two of the world’s foremost authorities in allergy research — Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills and Dr. Peter Heymann — where his work focused on the role of rhinovirus infections in asthma.
Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil — Guayaquil, Ecuador
Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami — Miami, Florida - Mentor: Dr. Gwendolyn Scott · Thesis: Selenium Deficiency & Cardiomyopathy in HIV-Infected Children
University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center — Chicago, Illinois
University of Virginia — Charlottesville, Virginia, Mentors: Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills & Dr. Peter Heymann · Research: Rhinovirus Infections & Asthma
Dover, Delaware
Southwest Asthma & Allergy Associates (SWAAA) — Memorial City & Cypress, Texas
Dr. Zambrano holds dual board certification — in Pediatrics (1997) and in Allergy & Immunology (1999). He carries Fellow designations from both the AAAAI and ACAAI, and has been recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for five consecutive years. He accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and 20+ major insurance plans.
Dr. Zambrano treats both children and adults across a broad spectrum of allergic and immunological conditions, with particular depth in asthma management, food allergies, and atopic dermatitis. His personal experience growing up in a highly allergic family informs his empathetic, patient-centered approach.
Dr. Zambrano’s fellowship work at the University of Virginia yielded multiple peer-reviewed publications examining the relationship between viral respiratory infections and asthma, authored alongside internationally recognized researchers:
Dr. Zambrano’s fellowship work at the University of Virginia yielded multiple peer-reviewed publications examining the relationship between viral respiratory infections and asthma, authored alongside internationally recognized researchers:
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