Participating Students
Participating RISE Student (Budget Period: 09/01/2023 - 08/31/2024)
Alanis P. Delgado Suarez is a 3rd year PhD student in the Anatomy and Neuroscience program at University of Puerto Rico Medical Science Campus (UPR MSC). She obtained her bachelor's in science in Microbiology at the University of Puerto Rico-Humacao Campus. Currently, she is a training in the Laboratory of Fear and Pleasure at UPRMSC under the mentorship of Dr. Christian Bravo. Their work focuses on understanding the neural circuits of approach-avoidance conflict using mice. Last semester Alanis finalized her thesis committee, organized her thesis project and presented her proposal. Her work will be focused on characterizing the Nucleus Accumbens to Ventral Pallidum projections in Approach/Avoidance Conflict. This research aims to study the role of cell-type specific neurons and areas of the brain they communicate to for motivated behaviors. She plans to observe the cell specificity of the subtypes of neurons that are part of the circuitry and measure the change in motivation (increase or decrease) by employing optogenetics, fiber photometry and immunohistochemistry techniques combined with behavioral assays. Recently, Alanis resubmitted her F31 with her sponsor, Dr. Christian Bravo-Rivera and co-sponsor, Dr. Laura DeNardo from UCLA. Currently, she is completing the Doctoral Qualifying Exam. This semester, she will be participating as a Speaker at the West Neuroscience Symposium in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. Moreover, she is hoping to present preliminary data at this year’s Puerto Rico Neuroscienceconference and at the 2024 Society for Neuroscience Conference (SFN), as a Neuroscience Scholarship Program (NSP) fellow associate. During the last academic year, Alanis took her last courses: Biochemistry and Physiology, as well as the two Responsible Conduct of Research courses (CBIO 8991 and 8992) and the scientific Rigor and Reproducibility course. In her lab, she attends weekly lab meetings and journal clubs. This last summer, her lab hosted an internship program where she had the opportunity to mentor 10- undergrads. By collaborating with Dr. Bravo-Rivera’s postdoc, Dr. Cristina Maria-Rios, she will also be training and taking workshops such as: optogenetic and photometric surgeries with mice, immunohistology, and microscopy training. During this collaboration she is planning to publish her findings in a manuscript as a second author. Beyond her technical skills, Alanis is an exceptional advocate for diversity and her fellow graduate peers. Alanis was recently named vice- president of the Graduate Student Association and of the NeuroBoricuas-MSC chapter. She volunteers in community outreach with the BioCOM association as well as serving as a Teaching Assistant for graduate, medical, and residency students in the Anatomy Department. Extracurricularly, she is involved with multiple mentoring programs such as the Garcia-Rinaldi Foundation and the “Seeds of Triumph” program at CienciaPR, inspiring younger generations by mentoring them in a community STEM Project or research project. Alanis has been recipient of the NeuroGrad fellowship, and in May 2024 she received the Student Leadership Award of her department
Aleandra C. Ortiz Santiago completed a BS in Biology with Minor in Neuroscience at the University of Puerto Rico Cayey Campus. Aleandra is in her 2nd year In the Ph.D. program in Anatomy. In the first year she enrolled in the Gross Anatomy, Embryology, Cell Biology and Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuroscience, and Journal Club Seminar courses. Additionally, she rotated in Dr. Valerie Wojna's lab over the summer, where she conducts basic science and clinical research on neurological diseases and the effects of HIV on the nervous system. Aleandra chose to continue working in this lab for her thesis project. Aleandra is in the process of gathering data and identifying knowledge gaps about the glioblastoma microenvironment. At this time, she submitted a predoctoral F-31 fellowship application to the NIH in August 2024, entitled “Assessing the Impact of Microglia Polarization in Glioblastoma Progression”. Aleandra participates actively in lab meetings and journal clubs as well as participates with Dr. Lester Rosario, postdoctoral researcher in the lab, by cultivating monocytes from human subjects and developing microglia. Aleandra has been a key player for the outreach activities in the Anatomy and Neurobiology department, the Biomedical Sciences Deanship, and the NeuroBoricuas organization in the Ecoexploratory EXPO Digital Planet in April 2024.
Alejandra Vázquez is a 1st year doctoral student in the department of Biochemistry, where she is enrolled in core courses. Alejandra earned a bachelor's degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2024. During her undergraduate research experiences, she presented three posters as first author in the Annual Physiology Meeting and the NISBRE and Southeast IDEA meetings (First prize), and seven other posters as co-author. In 2021, Alejandra won the 2nd prize for poster presentation in the San Lucas Episcopal Hospital Summer Research Program in Ponce,
Puerto Rico. Alejandra is the first author in a paper published (2024) in Frontiers in Microbiology titled: Exploring the Interplay between Running Exercises, Microbial Diversity, and Tryptophan Metabolism along the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis. Her research interests are Metabolism and Neuroscience. Currently, Alejandra is working on a research project with Dr. Nataliya Chorna. Her long-term goal is to work in academia and industry.
Alexdiel Figueroa Pérez is a second-year student in the PhD program of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the School of Pharmacy of the University of Puerto Rico. He obtained a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Natural Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. While conducting undergraduate studies, he carried out research in neuroscience under the mentorship of Dr. Demetrio Sierra in the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC). There he learned about the neurobiology of fear and anxiety, as well as the impact of environmental contaminants on related behaviors. Alexdiel presented his research results in national conferences such as Society for Neuroscience, Experimental Biology, and SACNAS, as well as in local conferences such as PR Neuroscience and the UPR MSC Annual Research and Education Forum. As a result of this research experience, he will be co-author of a publication for his contribution in conducting experiments and analyzing data. Furthermore, he was honored to be selected to form part of the Amgen Summer Program cohort for the summer of 2022, where he did research at UT Southwestern. He is presently working on his thesis proposal and made a collaboration agreement with the UPR Innovation and Commercialization Support Center (UPRi+c) to get education on how to build a business out of his thesis project.
Alondra Ortiz Marina is a 1st year doctoral student in the department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology where she is enrolled in core courses, who completed her BS degree in General Biology at the University of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla. Alondra participated in three research experiences in microbiology. In her first experience, her mentor was Dr. Yadira Malavez at the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), where meat quality was monitored to create a database intended to facilitate tracking the source of any bacterial outbreaks. Her second research experience, mentored by Dr. Nancy Cardona, levels of enterococcus bacteria as an indicator of fecal contamination on the coast of Aguadilla were measured in order to guarantee public health and safety. This research made the local news in a documentary called "Nature Speaks" by meteorologist Deborah Martorell. Lastly, mentored by Dr. Yisel Cantres of the UPR School of Medicine, she focused on the neurocognitive effects of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). The project involved measuring the amount of type 1 interferon receptor in monocytes and postmortem human brain tissue samples to understand the relationship with cognitive impairment. From each project, Alondra gained more experience and capacity to work independently. Apart from research experiences, Alondra was part of the board of directors of the National Biology Honor Society (Tribeta) for two consecutive years, as secretary and president. During her year as president, she organized the annual regional convention where all Tribeta chapters in Puerto Rico were invited to present their research. Alondra was also part of the board of directors of the Honors Studies Program where she served as Co-coordinator of the Pretty Incredible Committee, aimed at guiding and motivating middle school students in the various areas of STEM. Alondra’s interest entering this new stage is to learn everything possible about new laboratory techniques, to write articles, create collaborations that encourage teamwork, and be able to make an impact on the female population of our island. Alondra is presently rotating in Dr. Carlos Sariol’s laboratory. Alondra is interested in the following topics of research: women's health, cancer and infectious diseases. In the long term she is interested in practicing in academia, conducting her own research and publishing articles.
Anelisse Dominicci Maura is a 1st year Ph.D. student in the department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology where she is enrolled in core courses. Anelisse Dominicci-Maura recently completed her M.Sc. in Public Health – Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the UPR MSC, after receiving her B.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. She is mentored by Dr. Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, where she continues to investigate the correlation between microbiota, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), inflammation, and cervicovaginal lesions. Her research employs omics approaches to elucidate the female reproductive tract's composition, function, and gene expression. Anelisse has actively participated in career development activities, including research project design and grant writing workshops. She has also presented her research findings at conferences, including the AACR Annual Meeting and the “2024 Conferencia Puertorriqueña de Salud Pública”. Anelisse has co-authored two publications (“The cervical microbiota of Hispanics living in Puerto Rico is nonoptimal regardless of HPV status.”, (PMC10469956), and “The Epibiotic Microbiota of Wild Caribbean Sea Urchin Spines Is Species Specific” (PMC9966300)), where she has played roles in experimental design, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. Notably, Anelisse was recognized with the AACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award in 2024, highlighting her significant contributions to the field. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career in academia, where she can pass on the knowledge and opportunities she has received while fostering a love for microbiology in future generations and continue making impactful contributions to cancer research and prevention.
Aryanne C. Torres Ventura is a second year Ph.D. student in the Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, who obtained a bachelor's degree in microbiology at Ana G. Méndez University – Carolina Campus. She participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at Ana G. Méndez University in 2019. Her research was titled “Concentration of Heavy Metals in Río Cibuco at Vega Baja, Puerto Rico”. Aryanne presented her results at the 6th Symposium of Student Environmental Research at Ana G. Méndez University, Gurabo Campus, (poster), Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in STEM at Washington D.C, (poster), Virtual Symposium of Student Contributions for the Protection of our Planet at Ana G. Méndez, Carolina Campus, (virtual presentation), and 54th JTM/39th PRISM Virtual Conference (Virtual presentation). In August 2020, she participated in the Undergraduate Research Program of the Puerto Rico Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (PR-LSAMP) and continued her research throughout the semester, when she graduated with honors (Cum Laude). Later, she obtained a master's degree in biomedical sciences at Ana G. Méndez University – Carolina Campus, where her research was titled “The ability of microbial enzymes to biodegrade plastics such as polyethylene in the soil of a beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico”. She gave an oral presentation at “Encuentro de Investigación - Simposio at Ana G. Mendez – Carolina” and the “STEM Symposium” at Ana G. Mendez – Carolina. Currently Aryanne is taking core courses in her department.
Carlos Hernández Rodríguez is a first- year Ph.D. student in pharmacology with a bachelor's degree in biology from Universidad Ana G. Méndez Carolina Campus. He is currently planning to work with Dr. Lakshya Bajaj to learn various techniques including protein isolation, mammalian cell culture, western blotting, that will further prepare him for his research and facilitate collaboration with other mentors. During his undergraduate years, Carlos participated in a microbiology-focused research lab, which led to his first publication (Dr. Karlo Malavé-Llamas: PI; “Evaluation of Monitored and Unmonitored Bacteria in Recreational Beaches in Puerto Rico: Underlining the Environmental Factors that Affect Beach Quality”/ ECronicon EC Microbiology journal). This experience allowed him to attend the ABRCMS conference in 2019. Subsequently, he joined a new lab focusing on microalgae (a collaboration between Dr. Karlo Malavé Llamas and Dra Linda E. Rivera (former UPR MSC RISE R25 trainee), where he learned how to collect, grow, and isolate freshwater microalgae for DNA extraction and identification), where he presented his research on experimental methods and the development of techniques for algae collection and growth at ABRCMS 2022 and SACNAS 2022.
Diego E. Garcia Ortiz completed a BS in Biology at AGM University – Gurabo Campus in 2021. Diego is presently a 3rd year PhD student in the department of Biochemistry who recently completed his required coursework and the comprehensive exam requirement. Diego is currently working on gathering preliminary data to support his dissertation proposal, which he is expected to present to his committee during the Fall 2024 semester. His Project title is: “Modified Rabies Virus Glycoprotein conjugated liposomes for therapy delivery in brain cancer”. Several modifications were performed in the Rabies Virus Glycoprotein (RVG) sequence to improve cell internalization and Blood-Brain Barrier crossing ability of stealth liposomes for transporting therapeutics in Glioblastoma (GBM). Currently, Diego is working on the conjugation of several modifications of the RVG peptide to analyze its internalization on U87 (GBM) cell line using a fluorescence microscope. Data obtained will be used to select the best candidate/s for the liposome modification and continue with in-vitro (trans well) and later on in-vivo (mice) experiments to examine their Blood-Brain Barrier crossing properties. In Fall 2023 he was enrolled in BCHM 8502 (Molecular Biology), BCHM 8995 (Human Metabolism), BCHM 8533 (Research Seminar Series III) as part of his PhD degree requirements. Also, Diego worked as a proctor for Biochemistry 1 and 2 for first year graduate students and participated in the Biochemistry Research Education Display (BRED) talks (on 12/Sep/2023) by offering a 15-minute seminar. He was a co-author in a paper published in the “Catalyst” MDPI journal in 2022 titled “Hydrogen Production and Degradation of Ciprofloxacin by Ag@TiO2-MoS2 Photocatalysts”, with his undergraduate mentor Dr. Francisco Marquez, which has been recently announced as one of the Top Cited Papers in 2022.
Fabiola D. Pagán Torres is a 2nd year Doctoral Student in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, taking the required courses of her Ph.D. program curricular sequence. Fabiola completed a BS degree in Biology at the UPR Bayamon Campus in 2022. Fabiola’s passion for research started early, during her last pre-college year at the Student Research Development Center of Ana G. Mendez University. Thanks to this opportunity, Fabiola participated in a Summer Pre- College Internship at the Department of Biology, University of Vermont, where she managed to work with the organismal model of Drosophila melanogaster, and the project aimed to identify the role of the N-terminal domain in producing species specific mating songs. During this time, Fabiola got trained to conduct mating competitions assays. After finishing the training and returning home, Fabiola started her BS in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico in Bayamon. In 2019, Fabiola participated in the Summer Neuroscience Undergraduate Fellowship of the University of Vermont, Department of Neuroscience. During this time, she got trained in cell culture techniques, immunoprecipitation, and western blotting. This part of the project was essential since these cells were prepared and processed for immunoprecipitation. For Western blotting, whole-cell extracts were used. The results of the investigation identified several novel TLT-1 interactors in resting and activated platelets. Fabiola’s undergraduate research resulted in co-authorship in a paper published in 2020 (Defining the TLT-1 interactome from resting and activated human platelets. J Proteomics. PMC7044047). Her current mentor is Dr. Roberto Rodríguez, Assistant Professor at the Dept. of Anatomy (former UPR MSC RISE R25 trainee). The working title of her research project is "Uncovering the Developmental and Regenerative Mechanisms of the Mechanosensory Lateral Line in the Blind Mexican Cavefish." Fabiola presented a poster during her first year of graduate studies at the 8th Astyanax International Meeting for Cavefish in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Additionally, she completed an extracurricular course, Entrepreneurship in Biomedical Space, offered by the Medical University of South Carolina, earning a certification in this emerging field. As she begins her second year, Fabiola aims to continue conducting experiments to gather preliminary data by the end of the semester. A major academic goal for this year is to prepare and submit an F-31 application by April 2025. During this period, Fabiola has focused on breeding the fish she will be using in her dissertation research, using the laboratory protocols. Presently, she began behavior experiments and started mounting slides with 5-day post-fertilization larvas of Axtyanax mexicanus surface fish and the Pachon cavefish. The goal is to observe the lateral line with its neuromast to begin counting them. For the laboratory, she presented a paper in their Journal Club.
Fabiola I. Ricardo López is a 2nd year doctoral student who completed her BS in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, in 12/2021 and successfully completed the 1rst year graduate courses of the department of Anatomy and Neurobiology that are required in the Ph.D. program. These included Gross Anatomy with laboratory, Embryology, Histology and Neuroscience. During the summer session of 2024, she joined the Journal Club III course in which they discussed several papers about Opioid use disorder as well as understanding the neural basis of addiction. Additionally, she successfully competed to take the Neuroscience of Addiction course at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which was a transformative experience, both personally and professionally. Surrounded by some of the most brilliant minds in the field, Fabiola gained deeper insights into the complex mechanisms underlying addiction and how it affects the brain. The lectures were offered by leading experts who illuminated the intricate neural circuits and molecular pathways that drive addictive behaviors. They explored cutting-edge research on neuroplasticity, reward systems, and the genetic and environmental factors contributing to addiction. The course not only expanded her knowledge but also connected her with an inspiring community of scientists, mentors, and peers who share a passion for advancing research in this critical area. Fabiola is excited to apply everything she has learned to her future work in neuroscience and collaborate with these amazing people. For this new semester she will be attending several seminars provided by the G- RISE Program that will also aid in her research. Fabiola is scheduled to perform stereotaxic surgery on rodents this semester to be able to perform the implantation of electrodes in rats for her thesis research on Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for the extinction of opioid-related behaviors. Currently, she is taking classes from other departments such as Physiology and Biochemistry that are also required for the Ph.D. degree. For the next steps she plans to obtain data from her upcoming experiments and to be able to write her thesis proposal in order to take the qualifying exam, as well as to be able to submit a pre-doctoral grant.
Francheska M. Reyes Figueroa completed a BS Chemical Engineering University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in May 2014, and an MS in Industrial Pharmacy at the UPR MSC School of Pharmacy in May 2022. Francheska is presently a 3rdth year student in the PhD program of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the School of Pharmacy of the University of Puerto Rico, mentored by Dr. Sunita Dahiya. Her research Project is titled: Development of Novel QbD- Integrated Nano-formulation for Enhanced Bioavailability and Drug Delivery. Project Description: The National Osteoporosis (NOF) Foundation estimates that there are 9.1 million women with osteoporosis and an additional 26 million with low bone mass. Raloxifene (RAX) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that prevents and treats postmenopausal osteoporosis by mimicking the effects of estrogen to increase the density of bones and prevents the risk of breast cancer. RAX possesses extremely low bioavailability (2%) due to negligible aqueous solubility and extensive first pass metabolism, which leads to suboptimal oral delivery requiring high dose that causes dose-dependent side effects. To solve this problem, this investigation will use the nanotechnology-enabled quality-by-design (QbD)- integrated approach to accomplish two major goals: (1) increase RAX bioavailability using nanotechnology-enabled approach; (2) enhance RAX delivery via sublingual administration. As of today, RAX is available only as a conventional oral tablet or capsule, which does not solve the inherent challenges of RAX delivery. To accomplish this project, two specific aims have been developed: Aim 1 will establish an innovative QbD-optimized RAX nanoparticles via sonication assisted antisolvent precipitation technique, while Aim 2 will examine the pharmacokinetic behavior of RAX nano-formulation. The proposed research to develop QbD-integrated nano-formulation for alternate delivery routes will provide valuable resources for the scientific community to pursue multitude of studies that have not been previously attempted. These findings will assess the most effective administration route for enhanced outcomes and compliance in chronic RAX therapy, since uniform nanoplatform of insoluble drug remains a bottleneck in developing different dosage forms for different delivery routes and is currently the biggest limitation in pharmaceutical development of insoluble drugs. Project Progress: Initial trials on nanosuspensions generation are currently being performed to determine and establish the optimum critical process parameters (CPPs) required to obtain the best physicochemical properties of the RAX nano-formulation, prior to in vitro / in vivo studies. Career development activities: IFPAC/INDUNIV Summit attendance on August 29-30, 2023, in Carolina, P.R and G-RISE activities.
Freddie John Ortiz Colón is a 1st year doctoral student in the department of Pharmacology and Toxicology where he is enrolled in core courses. Freddie completed a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, where his capstone project was titled “Solar-Powered Blood Assist Device.” This project involved designing a prototype for a portable solar-powered blood pressure machine. Freddie also holds a master’s degree in Biostatistics from the School of Public Health at the UPR MSC, where he received the Academic Excellence Award. During his master’s studies, he worked as a teaching assistant for Dr. Claudia Amaya, providing course tutoring and leading laboratory classes on the SPSS program for the Biostatistics course. During this time, he also co-hosted the forum "The Impact of Economic Violence in Public Health: The Invisible Face of Gender Violence.” For his PhD studies, Freddie will collaborate with Dr. Luz A. Silva from the Department of Pharmacology, who has extensive experience as a forensic toxicologist, to guide his development in this field. He has also enhanced his expertise through workshops provided by the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico (CIAPR), covering industry regulations such as Introduction to Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Introduction to Root Cause Analysis. His long-term goal is to integrate his expertise in engineering and biostatistics with research in pharmacology to secure a position as a forensic toxicologist specializing in drugs of abuse, combining medical and public health perspectives.
Grecia Y. Geigel Rodríguez obtained a BS in Industrial Chemistry at UPR Humacao in 2022. Grecia is a 3rd year Ph.D. student enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her current research project is supported by a 3-year grant awarded by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to the UPR (PI: Dr. Torsten Stelzer; Co-PI: Dr. Cornelis Vlaar (Thesis Mentor) in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Northeastern University, and the University of Liege (Belgium). During this project, we aim to develop the manufacturing process of Indomethacin, a non-steroidal medicine via continuous flow synthesis, which reduces manufacturing footprint and costs. The specific area of the project currently being worked on is the production of this API from a bio-based building block, levulinic acid. At the present time, we are working on the second step of the production through which an indole should be formed from ethyl levulinate. This batch reaction is supported by a green solid sulfonic acid- based catalyst, which can be recyclable. The continuous flow technology in the formation of the indole compound is being performed with green solvent alternatives to demonstrate a more sustainable and efficient manufacturing route.
Isabel C. López Molini completed a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a minor in American Sign Language from the University of Rochester inn 2022. Isabel is a first year Ph.D. student at the Anatomy and Neurobiology department, enrolled in core courses, such as Human Embryology, Histology and Anatomy, as well as Journal Club I. Throughout her undergraduate studies Isabel had the opportunity to work in various labs and after graduation, she continued lab work in the Goldmad lab that focuses on glial cell studies and Huntington disease studies. She also had the opportunity to compete in her second year of college in IGEM, an international competition for innovating science and how this can help us solve important challenges in our society. With this project, she focused important studies on endometriosis which helped her gain a lot of knowledge and resulted in her first publication as a co-author in the Journal of Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Disorders, titled “An accessible, non-invasive tool for endometriosis diagnosis reveals an association between age at symptom onset and endometriosis symptoms”. After a year of working in the Goldman lab, Isabel moved to Puerto Rico to continue working in research at Dr. Jennifer L. Barreto-Estrada’s laboratory at the UPR MSC. Isabel has participated in several outreach activities in the Anatomy and Neurobiology department and the Biomedical Sciences Deanship and plans to rotate during summer 2025 in several research laboratories in order to choose her dissertation mentor and project.
Jean Gabriel Collazo Lebrón is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the department of Physiology where he is enrolled in the following courses: Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Neurophysiology and Data Rigor and Reproducibility and doing research laboratory rotations. Jean completed a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology at UPR Rio Piedras Campus and acquired basic skills in molecular biology and cell culture in the Fall of 2022 at Dr. Carmen Cadilla’s lab in the Department of Biochemistry. Jean will be taking his program’s comprehensive exam during the summer 2025. Afterwards, Jean plans to present his thesis proposal during his third year. During Jean’s first year he was a member of the Graduate Student Association (AEG) as a representative in the Student Council of the School of Medicine (CEEM). Jean also collaborated with the BioCom group; a science outreach project supported by RCMI Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities. Jean took the following workshops: Plagiarism; Fluorescence Microscopy: A research Tool and Regulations concerning Discrimination by Sex and Gender: Title IX. Jean’s long-term goal is to become a biomedical researcher and science communicator with the support of the University of Puerto Rico and the G-RISE program’s resources. The Department of Physiology Ph.D. students start laboratory rotations to select dissertation mentors in the Summer of their first year of studies. Jean is presently rotating in the laboratories of Drs. Carlos Torres Ramos and Yancy Ferrer in order to choose his dissertation mentor by the end of Fall 2024. Jean had an excellent research experience in Dr. Sabzali Javadov’s laboratory but when Dr. Javadov passed in Summer 2024, he had to do these two rotations in order to select a dissertation mentor.
Jeymily M. Ares Estrada graduated in June 2022 from Ana G. Méndez University with a bachelor’s degree in science, concentrating in Biology. Currently, Jeymily is pursuing a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and is the Vice President of Association of Graduate Students of Pharmacy (AEGF). Over the years, her professional development has led her to serve as the Vice President of the Puerto Rico Institute for Microbial Ecology Research (PRIMER), where she worked on the project titled "Fundamental Kinetics for Bacterial
Degradation of Phthalates Among Diverse Isolates from Puerto Rico." This research was presented at several conferences: the Symposium on Energy and Resiliency – PREC / CHRES (Sept. 16, 2021), ABCRMS (Oct. 22, 2021), the Student Symposium of the Puerto Rico Society of Microbiology (Feb. 25, 2022), the Prism Junior Technical Meeting 2022 (April 9, 2022), the XIX Researchers Meeting (April 2, 2022), the Investigation Symposium 2022 UAGM (May 13, 2022), and ASM 2022 (American Society of Microbiology) (June 11, 2022). Her career goal is to be part of an academic institution where she can teach and inspire students to pursue their dreams, regardless of their background. Additionally, Jeymily aims to promote the development of a drug that could help or even cure a disease. She is rotating in the laboratories of Drs. Manuel Delgado, José Colón Saez and Magaly Martinez this Fall semester.
Kaitlyn Nieves Sierra is a 3rd year PhD student enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus under the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences program. Kaitlyn completed bachelor inn science studies at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus with a degree in chemistry and a certification in biochemistry. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she worked in research projects in various labs focused on inorganic synthesis and analytical chemistry. After graduation, Kaitlyn worked in the industry for a few months and resigned to pursue a PhD degree. In her first year as a PhD student, she rotated in various labs and chose to work in Dr. Cornelis Vlaar laboratory in medicinal Chemistry. Kaitlyn’s research is focused on developing novel TRIP13 inhibitors for HPV driven cancers. She developed novel inhibitors and sent them to their collaborator in MD Anderson Cancer Center to perform biological studies to determine which compound has more activity towards HeLa and CASKI cell lines. As a PhD student she has participated in several student associations like the AAPS and AEGF in the school of pharmacy and has also participated in outreach activities in representation of the Student Association and Pharmaceutical Sciences department. Kaitlyn has done several poster presentations in PR and one in the US at the 38th ACS National Medicinal Chemistry Symposium in Seattle, WA. In the ACS symposium, she participated in their poster session and won the best award. In the future her plans are to go to MD Anderson in January 2025 to learn several techniques to complete her PhD Aims. In 2025, she plans to submit an F31 proposal, take the candidacy exam and submit her first paper for publication
Keisha M. Serrano Arroyo is a 2nd year PhD student in Physiology. She recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences with a concentration in Biology from the UPR in Cayey. During her bachelor’s degree she had several research experiences in different areas. First, she experienced the social area and the participatory action branch, helping the inhabitants of the town of Cayey. Later in the sciences, she joined a laboratory on cell culture. She was part of Dr. Maria De Jesus’s lab at UPR Cayey for two years and learned techniques about cell culture, protein separation and analyzing the results of the experiments. To expand her knowledge, in the summer of 2022 she interned at Tufts University in Boston. During this internship, she learned about cell culture and the field of brain cancer she was working in. When she finished her BS, Keisha decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree in Physiology to understand the functions of the body in a normal state and in times of illness. Keisha is currently taking classes on Physiology and Biochemistry and is also looking to meet the different professors in the Physiology Department to explore ideas about research. The Department of Physiology Ph.D. students start laboratory rotations to select dissertation mentors in the Summer of their first year of studies. Keisha wants to work in neuroscience or muscle physiology and collaborate with another department to expand knowledge. Keisha is rotating in the laboratories of Drs. Carlos Torres and Bruno Marie (Institute of Neurobiology) this semester to choose her dissertation mentor by the end of Fall 2024.
Leidag K. Retamar Santiago is a 1st year doctoral student in the department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology. She graduated from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Fajardo campus, with a bachelor's degree in sciences with a concentration in Microbiology. She participated in the honors program, acted as a tutor and mentor, and worked in a research group on modified silver nanoparticles under Dr. Millie L. González Laboy's supervision while pursuing her undergraduate degree. Consequently, she took part in a symposium at the university to talk about the study that was done with the scientific community during that time. In addition, she enrolled in the courses Microbiological Application Techniques (MICR 4505) and Integrated Seminar in Microbiology (MICR 4955), which focused on analyzing recent scientific discoveries in microbiology to develop writing and research techniques. Furthermore, she was awarded the Cooperation Medal, the Alumni Medal, and the highest GPA possible for her major in microbiology. Currently, she is participating in the G-RISE program's own seminar series and the Responsible Conduct of Research seminars for this academic year. With the goal to affiliate with Dr. Ana M. Espino as a mentor in these fields of study, she desires to specialize in infectious diseases and parasitology. Her career objectives are similarly industry focused. For instance, she would like to employ her microbiological expertise and experience with organizations like Pfizer or Lilly del Caribe. Leidag is doing short rotations in the research laboratories of Drs. Carlos A Sariol, Filipa Godoy, Ana M. Espino, Yisel Cantres, Stephanie Dorta and Benjamín Bolaños.
Liz Velázquez Rivera is a 2nd year doctoral student in the department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology where she is enrolled in core courses. She completed a BS in Biology and Microbiology at the UPR Humacao Campus in 2022 with Summa Cum Laude honors. During her undergraduate years, she gained research experience working with Drosophila melanogaster in Puerto Rico, focusing on generational studies of fly morphology, as well as conducting research on crop mites, where she worked on dust mite capture and morphology analysis. Liz was awarded the Honor Scholarship for three consecutive years during her undergraduate studies. In her final year, she worked as a laboratory assistant at UPR Cayey. Also, she gained industry experience at Amgen, where she worked for nearly one year in quality control, particularly focusing on microbiology. She is presently mentored by Dr. Stephanie Dorta. Her research is centered on investigating the role of probiotics as a therapeutic approach for oropharyngeal cancer. In the short term, her objective is to complete the qualifying exam by the first semester of the next academic year. Completing this would help her to focus on her dissertation research. As a long-term goal, Liz wants to transition into industry, where she plans to focus primarily on the development and optimization of biotechnological processes. Her goal is to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during her doctoral training to contribute to innovative solutions within the field. At this stage, she remains open to the possibility of pursuing postdoctoral research training to further refine her expertise.
Lizbeth Vázquez Casul is a 1st year doctoral student in the department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the UPR MSC. At the UPR Rio Piedras campus, she completed a BS in Biology in 2008 and later on a master degree in Anatomy in summer 2024 under the mentorship of Dr. Juan Carlos Jorge and Dr. Jennifer L. Barreto-Estrada as co-mentor. The title of her thesis research: The Introduction of An In Vitro Model System to Study The Effects of Lead and Chromium on Sertoli Cells. As for poster presentations, Lizbeth has presented locally in the Hispanic Alliance for Clinical and Translational Research 13th Scientific Day held in San Juan PR. For the Ph.D. thesis project, she has plans to work with Dr. María Sosa-Llorens in the field of environmental neuroscience. Lizbeth has been continually active in outreach activities of the Biomedical Sciences Open House and Brain Awareness Week and was recipient of the Fondo Dotal UPR- fellowship. Lizbeth is presently rotating in Dr. María A. Sosa’s laboratory.
Natasha M. Jiménez Rivera earned a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary science at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Currently she is enrolled as a 1st year graduate student at the UPR MSC in the department of Anatomy and Neurobiology. Her mentor is Dr. Demetrio Sierra, whose lab focuses on the effects of concussion or herbicide consumption on anxiety-like behaviors in rats. During her undergraduate studies, Natasha participated in various outreach activities such as Brain Awareness Week and a summer camp as a presenter on animal models. Natasha presented a poster of her Capstone research titled “How concussive- like injury affects levels of serotonin in rats” at local conferences such as Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference in 2022 and the Puerto Rico COBRE Annual Retreat. Another project she worked on and presented as a poster was titled “The effects of herbicide consumption on avoidance and pain-related behaviors in rats” at the Society for Neuroscience Conference and again at the Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference, both in 2023. As an undergraduate she was awarded the Undergraduate Student Fellowship in Puerto Rico Center for Environmental Neuroscience (PRCEN) Program, to investigate herbicide consumption. She earned a travel award for conferences such as Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students 2022 and National Enhancement of UnderRepresented Academic Leaders. She received an award from a Supplement to a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Diverse Researcher’s Integrated Virtual Engagement Network (DRIVEN), where she worked as a postbaccalaureate trainee and assisted in various experiments in the lab. The experiments involved the effects of herbicide consumption or multiple antibiotic consumption in anxiety-like behaviors in rats. She also presented the results of her experience during a webinar. Her research interests involve mental health disorders. One of her primary career goals is to develop collaborations with clinicians and scientists.
Paulette M. Vázquez Martínez is a 1st year doctoral student in the department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and her mentor is Dr. Demetrio Sierra. Paulette earned a bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences at the UPR Cayey Campus, where she was President and Treasurer of the Neuroboricuas organization. As an undergraduate student she worked with Dr. Demetrio Sierra in the research project entitled: "Effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury on Pain Processing” in UPR-Medical Sciences Campus. Paulette received a travel award to present her work in the National Enhancement of UnderRepresented Academic Leaders Conference in Alabama. Paulette also presented in the 31st Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference and in the Title V Annual Symposium in Puerto Rico (oral presentation). This year she will present her work entitled: “Dissociating the interpretation of either decreased anxiety or increased risk-taking behavior in the open field after brain injury in rats” in the 2024 Society for Neuroscience Conference. Paulette’s long-term goal is to achieve an academic and research position in the island of Puerto Rico.
Richard Mojica Vélez is in his 3rd year of the PhD program in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, focusing on Molecular Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, under the mentorship of Dr. Jorge Duconge Soler. In 2021, he obtained a bachelor's degree in molecular & Cell Biology from Ana G. Mendez University - Cupey Campus. Currently, Richard is working diligently to assemble his graduate committee. His research project aims to uncover the complex interactions between drug responses and human genomics. He is interested in the field of pharmacogenomics, particularly focusing on the Caribbean Hispanic population. He is developing predictive models to study the response to clopidogrel in this population, which is a widely used antiplatelet drug. His work aims to contribute to a more personalized and effective approach to healthcare by identifying genetic variations that influence drug responses. This could potentially reduce adverse reactions and improve patient outcomes. Currently, Richard is defining the research questions and objectives based on a comprehensive review of the existing literature on clopidogrel pharmacogenomics and its impact on the Caribbean Hispanic population. He plans to use secondary genomic and relevant clinical data to perform a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify novel genetic variants associated with clopidogrel resistance. Recently, through a GWAS analysis, they identified four novel significant signals that have not been previously found in this group of Caribbean Hispanics. They are seeking a replication cohort to perform comparative analyses and validate these findings. In September 2024, Richard will be presenting a poster on these data at the annual Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN) event in Ohio. Additionally, Richard is collaborating on a separate project alongside Drs. Bianca Torres, Kyle Melin and Dr. Jonathan Hernandez from the School of Pharmacy., where they are utilizing the All of Us Workbench platform to conduct a gene-specific association study titled "GLP-1 Receptor Gene Variants and Their Association with Cardiovascular Risk in Hispanic Patients with Diabetes." This study aims to explore how genetic variants might affect the effectiveness of GLP-1 agonists and cardiovascular risk in the Hispanic diabetic population. Aside from his research studies, he is actively involved in the community, serving as the treasurer for the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) committee. He attended the Research Career Development Seminars (RECDES) on August 25, 2023. This seminar, titled "Developing Capacity in Biomedical Research Through Mentoring and Collaboration," was facilitated by Dr. Azeez Butali at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus.
Shay Blanco Olivares is a 2nd year PhD student in the department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus. She completed her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences last June 2023 from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. Through her undergraduate studies, she developed undergraduate research under the PR-SLAMP program. Shay participated in the project “Crosstalk between Cryptococcus neoformans/gatti and the macrophages in the development of titan cells” under the mentorship of Dr. Yaliz Loperena. As a result of this project, she had the opportunity to present in various scientific meetings, such as the PUCPR Research Symposium, the 41st Interdisciplinary Meeting of Puerto Rico, and the 56th Junior Technical Meeting of the ACS, followed by the Biology Symposium on Campus of Mayagüez, and the Poster Day sponsored by the Puerto Rican Society of Mycology. Currently, Shay is taking the curricular required core courses, and soon she will rotate with Drs. Maria A. Sosa and Natalia Valentin in Anatomy- related research projects.
Valeria Miranda Bravo is a 3rd year PhD student in Pharmaceutical Sciences. BS Human Biology at the UPR Bayamon Campus in 2014. She transitioned to the Ph.D. program from the MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences. She will take her qualifying exam in the Spring semester of 2025. Her mentors are Dr. José Colón and Dr. Jorge Duconge. The title of her research project is "The effects of actionable CYP2C19 single nucleotide polymorphisms on clopidogrel metabolism within the Caribbean Hispanic population." She has taken individualized courses in pharmacogenomics, advanced pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, rigor and reproducibility in biomedical research and computational genomics. Currently, they have a manuscript in process related to the development and validation of the sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS analytical method for clopidogrel in the Puerto Rican population. If her presentation abstracts are selected, she plans to present her research results at the AAAS Caribbean Division Annual Conference in October 2024 and the ACS Annual Conference on 2025. She has been awarded the Developing Research Skills on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) Applied to Pharmaceutical Sciences Award. She has also received training in the All of Us Research Program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is currently preparing a manuscript on genetic variants for response to GLP-1 agonists and their association with cardiovascular risk in patients with diabetes.
Valeria Villarin Ayala completed a BS Biology in Antillean Adventist University, located in Mayaguez, PR in 2020 and is presently in her fourth year of doctoral studies at the Department of Physiology. Over the past year, Valeria made considerable progress on her thesis project and enriched her doctoral experience through extensive outreach activities. In summer 2023, Valeria successfully completed the comprehensive examination requirement and began experiments for the first aim of her thesis in Fall 2023. During this period, she joined the outreach initiative “Biomedics with the Community” (BioCom), a collective of students dedicated to educating the Puerto Rican community on scientific topics with support from the Research Centers in Minority Institutions Program (RCMI). Valeria contributed to various educational activities aimed at underprivileged communities near our campus addressing critical topics such as COVID-19, influenza, and the ongoing research conducted by BioCom students. Additionally, they conducted science experiments at a middle school in San Juan to foster interest in science careers among young students. Recently, Valeria served as an evaluator for student presentations at a research program organized by the Dr. Garcia Rinaldi Foundation, offering insights into research for high school students. Additionally, at the beginning of 2024, Valeria had the opportunity to present my research for the first time at the “Symposium of Scientific Research” at the Pontifical University of Puerto Rico in Ponce and received the Student Leadership Award. Furthermore, despite the substantial growth and learning this year has afforded me, she faced considerable challenges. In June 2024, her Mentor (Dr. Sabzali Javadov) passed away unexpectedly. During this difficult period, Valeria managed to present her proposal on June 27th, 2024, which was approved by her thesis committee. Currently, Valeria has two Co-mentors, Dr. Carlos Torres Ramos and Dr. Walter Frontera Roura, whose support has been pivotal in advancing her research project during this challenging time. Valeria remains dedicated to completing experiments for her first aim, which will be featured in her first manuscript by the end of this year. Valeria’s doctoral journey has been profoundly rewarding, and she aspires to continue a research career that integrates her passion for education and the pursuit of knowledge.
William Omar Mendoza Morales completed a BS in Chemistry at the UPR Mayaguez Campus in 2018 and is presently a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in Pharmaceutical Sciences on the Medicinal Chemistry Track. William is currently working under the mentorship of Dr. Eliud Hernández O’Farrill on the design and synthesis of 3,6-diromocarbazole compounds cytotoxic and anti- migration effect as possible anticancer agents. His thesis project consists in the design of a series of carbazole-derived library for antimetastatic breast cancer, which will be designed using a 3,6-dibromocarbazole coupled with a series of allylic amide sidechains to produce a series of N-WASP inhibitor-like molecules that could potentially be used as lead compounds for metastatic breast cancer treatment. Also, taking advantage of current computational programs, over a million molecules using ZINC database will be analyzed to find possible lead compounds that could inhibit the Arp2/3 complex that could also demonstrate antimetastatic activity against N-WASP inhibition; in which the most promising compounds will be the synthesize and further analyze. These lead compounds will be submitted to bioassay-guided-isolation using anticancer cell-based assays and screened in a panel of cancer cell lines using standard cytotoxicity and growth inhibition assays as well as anticancer and antimetastatic activity in MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, MCF-7 and neuroblastoma cancer cells using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. To measure the cell migration effect of compounds he will use a wound healing assay on MDA-MB-231 cancer cells and the antimetastatic effect of compounds, filopodia and lamellipodia in MDA-MB- 231 and MDAMB-435 will be observed a through microscope. Currently, William has synthesized and tested insilico and in-vitro more than forty 3,6- dibromocarbazole conjugates in which have demonstrated to be highly cytotoxic on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines but have failed the migration assays. Moreover, some of the compounds have had solubility problems during in-vitro testing. This inconvenience is currently being solved by adding more polar functional groups to the synthetized compounds to be tested in-vivo and in-silico. William transitioned from the RISE R25 program to the G-RISE T32 grant and successfully approved PhD Candidacy on May 2024. During the summer of 2023, William participated in training sessions to become peer mentor for CAPAC and UPRMAPS REU programs, where he helped and guided undergraduate students from Puerto Rico and the USA in summer research experiences and chemistry related projects. Also, William was a finalist of a PHRMA Foundation grant on a Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery which he already submitted on August 31, 2023, but unfortunately was not funded. This year he resubmitted for the 2024 PHRMA Foundation grant on a Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery and is currently waiting for the foundation’s decision. Nowadays, William is writing his first manuscript for publication which is expected to be submitted by September 2024 and worked on his poster presentation on: “Design and synthesis of 3,6-dibromocarbazole derivatives and their cytotoxic and anti-migration effect in cancer cell lines” in ACS Fall 2024, held at the Colorado Convention Center at Denver, CO, United States from August 18-22, 2024.
Xiany X. Lay Rivera obtained a BS Biomedical Sciences in the Department of Natural Sciences of Interamerican University of PR- Metropolitan Campus in 2021. Xiany completed a master's degree in Anatomy in July 2023 and now is in her 2nd year in the PhD in Anatomy Program, mentored by Dr. Cristina Velazquez- Marrero, professor at the UPR MSC Institute of Neurobiology. During her master’s degree Xiany focused on the effects of binge-like alcohol exposure on extinction learning and subsequent alcohol intake in adolescent and adult C57BL6/J female mice. She learned to perform behavior and statistical analysis, cytological evaluations for estrous cycling of the female mice, performed drinking paradigms to evaluate ethanol consumption in mice, intraperitoneal injections, cardiac perfusions, and brain extractions for subsequent immunohistochemical evaluations. During this period, she also was near peer mentor for the undergraduate students in my lab where she provided several workshops for many of the procedures used in the lab. Xiany is currently working on publishing a paper and organizing her doctoral research plan. In summer 2024, she attended the Summer Program in Neuroscience, Excellence and Success (SPINES) at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA.