Cristina I Pérez Caro

Cristina I Pérez Caro is completing the requirements for a BS in Biology with a minor in Writing and Communications. Her ongoing research is focused on studying the effects of nanostructures with CaS in skin cancer cell lines.  The research is directed by Dr. Miguel Castro, Professor of Chemistry with the collaboration of Dr. Edu Suarez from UPR Ponce and the Ponce School of Medicine, Dr. Maribella Domenech from the UPR Mayaguez Chemical Engineering Departmetn and Dr. Nanette Diffoot from the UPR Mayaguez Department of Biology. For Cristina, it’s a thrill working with cancer cell since she enjoys the challenge of it. She used to drive to Dr. Suarez lab in  UPR Ponce once a week for a year to learn to work with cancer cells.  She has been selected for multiple internships in MD Anderson Cancer Center and in the Mayagüez Medical Center. Ms. Pérez has presented the results of her precious research project at the U54 Partnership Summer Research Program Poster Meeting in 2017 & 2018. She has attended workshops in DNA Barcoding, Genetic Techniques, End Note and PubMed, among others. She hopes to pursue the MD-PhD dual degree with the program UPR Medical Cancer Center and MD Anderson.  During her career development she has focused on research, and courses to improve her technical writing skills and cancer biology.

 

She can be reached at the following electronic mail address: cristina.perez19@upr.edu

Roberto G Sotomayor

Roberto G. Sotomayor is an honor roll student working toward a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Biotechnology. His research is in the field of medical bioremediation alongside Dr. Carlos Rios Velazquez. He is in search of bioprospects capable of biodegrading Advanced Glycation End products (AGE), with an end goal of describing the molecular mechanisms by which the AGE molecules are consumed. He has attended scientific writing workshops and has his sight on becoming a coauthor in a peer review publication on his research topic as well as to present his research results in national meetings. Roberto also has a strong interest in bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance.  He has strong hopes to win a summer spot in Dr. Victor Torres research laboratory this coming summer of 2019.

 

He can be reached at the following electronic mail address: roberto.sotomayor@upr.edu

Andrea Flores

 Andrea Flores is a junior undergraduate studying Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.  One of her research goals is to “reinvent” the way we do in-vitro cell culture to produce better results that can trickle down to improved health treatments. Her research focuses on the design and development of tumor spheroids and organoids from breast and pancreatic cancer cells in-vitro. Ms. Flores is very passionate about her research.  Her main career goal as a biomedical researcher is to discover new therapeutic targets and design new innovative treatments for cancer. Her investigation is directed by her PI, Dr. Maribella Domenech, Professor of Chemical Engineering – and receives mentoring from chemical engineer student Jean Caraballo-León. Outside of her curriculum requirements, her research will require special coursework in cellular and molecular biology of cancer, immunology, and ethics. She has attended local meetings and is looking forward to her first national meeting in ABRCMS 2018.  She is currently conducting 3-D cell culture experiments for results to be presented in her first publication. She has completed a summer internship with Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT) where she mentored high-school students in conducting biomedical research in stem cells. Ms. Flores has also attended workshops in Cell-Culture Training, Blood-Pathogen Training, Research Aspects of HIPAA, and Biomedical Responsible Conduct of Research Training.

 

She can be reached at the following electronic mail address: andrea.flores2@upr.edu

Angeliz Soto Acevedo

Angeliz Soto is freshman chemistry major at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.  We selected Angeliz because of (1) the number of college level credits approved toward a BS degree while she was in high school and (2) her burning desire to become a MD-PhD scientist and (3) the demonstrated passion for research in her interview.  She is doing four rotations during this academic year.  She completed one of them so far, with Dr. Enrique Melendez in the synthesis of ferrocene derivatives for breast cancer treatment.  She is now in her second rotation on the effect of hydrogen sulfide in the prevention of lysozyme amyloids with directed by Dr. Juan Lopez Garriga. She will complete two more rotations in biomedical sciences this semester.  These rotations are selected by matching the student’s interest with the ongoing research activities of participating UPRM faculty.  She is waiting a favorable reply from various applications she submitted for summer research internships.  We are confident that she will be sponsored by an external program or alternatively, the RISE E BASE program will cover a summer research experience for her.

 

She can be reached at the following electronic mail address: angeliz.soto@upr.edu

Joel Rivera Cardona

Joel Rivera Cardona is currently working in its bachelor’s degree in Industrial Microbiology. He is working in the Molecular Virology and Tissue engineering laboratory with principal investigator Dr. Nanette Diffoot Carlo. His projects focus studying the presence of the early growth response type 4 (EGR-4) protein in encephalic tissue of healthy patients and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, he is working in the determination of the effect of quantum dots on cells infected with the MVM virus. His interest in the pathology of the central nervous system in order to understand how viruses can affect this complex system has led him to begin working with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Joel has presented his work at the Puerto Rico ACS Junior technical meeting in. Also, he attended the Amgen Scholar summer program at Washington University in St. Louis where he worked with Dr. Amanda Lewis in the Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis department. Additionally, to his research accomplishments he is currently president of Alpha Helix Biomedical Society, a student association focus on providing the students with research experiences and workshops in the biomedical field. For his graduate studies he is currently applying to Ph.D. programs in the areas of microbiology in order to study the host pathogen interaction of viruses. He visited the ABRCMS 2018 conference inIndianapolis, as part of our RISE E BASE group, and had the opportunity to participate in various conferences that included (1) Transplacental Genotoxicity of AIDS Therapy and (2) Success in Training and Beyond: Transcending Disciplines.  He completed his IDP and is currently completing coursework in ethics (FILO 4025) and statistics (ESMA 3101).

 

He can be reached at the following electronic mail address: joel.rivera22@upr.edu

Jennifer Ramírez Zea

Jennifer Ramirez-Zea is a third year electrical engineering major.  Jennifer is in track to graduate by May 2021.    Her research with Dr. Vidya Manian at UPRM focuses on the development of software to screen details in images.  There is a significant national need of students trained in data mining techniques applied to biomedical imaging.  She was selected to participate in our RISE program because of her strong commitment to research in that area and to complete a PhD degree in biomedical engineering.  Her first national meeting was at the 2018 ABRCMS and is presenting a poster on her research at the EB 2019 meeting.  Jennifer completed her IDP and has requested our intervention to help with a tutor in a course work and we are identifying a source of funds to help her.  She is waiting for a reply for a summer internship and we have decided to provide more individual mentoring to her.

 

She can be reached at the following electronic mail address: jennifer.ramirez3@upr.edu

Michelle A Narváez Ramos

Michelle Narvaez is second year Industrial Microbiology student who “has never thought of her professional career without a MD/PhD dual degree”.  In her high school years, Michelle presented her Science Fair at the Intel International Science Fair competition and did internships in the “Medical Experience” program at a local hospital and the Summer Health Professions Program at the University ofAlabama at Birmingham.  It was her clear understanding of the reasons to become a MD-PhD that earned her a position in the RISE E BASE program.  She wants research with patients to be part of her everyday live.  Michelle rotated in Dr, Juan Lopez Garriga, where she had hands on experience in the preparation of denaturalized proteins for studies on the effect of hydrogen sulfide in the formation of amyloids, Dr. Nanette Diffoot from the Biology Department, where she learned and took workshops in the preparation and maintenance of cell cultures and Dr. Miguel Castro, where she works with senior UG Cristina Perez in the effect of calcium sulfide on skin cancer cell growth and proliferation.  The RISE E BASE program has facilitated her exposure to three different laboratory environments and improved significantly her research skills.  She is now establishing the effect of pH in the release of hydrogen sulfide and calcium ions and hopes to extrapolate her findings to local pH differences found in cancer and benign cells.  She received numerous summer research opportunities and decided to accept a summer position with Dr. Sandra Zinkel at the Vanderbilt Medial School MSTP program for prospective MD/PhD students.  She has been invited to participate in the Symposium of the Leadership alliance this July 2019.    The RISE E BASE program facilitated her visit to her first ABRCMS meeting in 2018 and her participation in a cell growth workshop in campus and we hope to support her first oral/poster presentation in the 2019 ABRCMS in AnaheimCalifornia.  We will also facilitate her participation in the developmental biology course offered by the University of Michigan this May 2019.  She has completed her IDP and coursework in statistics.  The impact of the RISE E BASE program is better described in her own words “it has immersed me in a world of people that are like me.  I am now surrounded by other humans that talk and enjoy talking about science and their future plans…”

She can be reached at the following electronic mail address: michelle.narvaez1@upr.edu

Gian C Rivera Crespo

Gian Carlo Rivera is a mechanical engineering major.  His research interests are the development of biosensors in the point-of-care for the detection of multiple health conditions and microorganisms.  He has worked with Dr. Pedro Resto in the Department of Mechanical Engineering learning microfluids fabrication techniques  and their integration to biological detection assays.  He also had the opportunity to work with Dr. Carlos Cabrera, from the UPR Rio Piedras Campus and Dr. Andrei Fedorov, from Georgia Institute of Technology in the use of mass spectroscopy to evaluate the health of mother mesenchymal cells.  The drive to pursue research of this kid is amazing and clearly reflects the need to support the initiative of our kids.  He used to drive to the UPR Rio Piedras Campus inSan Juan, about two hours away, every Friday to perform experiments with Dr. Cabrera.  He will sleep over in his car in many occasions while visiting Dr. Cabrera’s laboratory.  His commitment and reliance to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering earned a spot in this RISE E BASE in the Fall of 2018.  He visited with the other UG students the ABRCMS meeting celebrated in Indianapolisin 2018.  This Spring 2019 term, he is completing course work in biology (3031/3031L) and ethics (FILO 4025).  Gian completed the Fall term with straight A’s in all his classes and no longer has to sleep in the car while pursing his research interests in biomedical engineering.

 

He can be reached at the following electronic mail address: gian.rivera@upr.edu

Indra M Gonzales Ojeda

Indra Gonzalez is working towards her UG degree in Chemistry.  The daughter of a restaurant waiter and local nurse became the happiest member of the UPRM RISE E BASE family as soon as she learned she did not have to take a job at the local Mall to support herself.  The research of this former STEP UP HS student focuses on the role of hydrogen sulfide in the prevention of lysozyme amyloids is directed by Dr. Juan Lopez Garriga.  She has taken courses to strengthen her biomedical background that includes advanced biochemistry, physics of the human body and computational biophysics.  The RISE E BASE program has facilitated the acquisition of materials in support of her research activities as well as support for the presentation of her year round work in the upcoming Experimental Biology 2019 meeting.  Her work was ongoing research was submitted and accepted for publication.  She was accepted for various summer internship programs for this summer and we are celebrating that she will be part of the REU program at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.  She is completing our requirements for non-biology majors to take basic coursework in Biology (3031/3031L).  We believe that Indra has a bright future in computational biology and hope this summer research experience will add nicely to her graduate application package to pursue a PhD degree in biophysics.

 

She can be reached at the following electronic mail address: indra.gonzalez@upr.edu

Álani Aldarondo Torres

Álani Aldarondo Torres is a fourth year UG in the Industrial Biotechnology major and is expected to graduate in May 2021.  She has a burning desire to continue to a PhD program in Behavioral Neuroscience. Her research, centered in the inhibition of insulin amyloid fibrils due to protein-H2S interactions, is directed by Dr. Juan Lopez Garriga. She has presented her research in Puerto Rico including the Eli Lilly Technical Meeting and PRSLAMP Technical Meeting as well as the INBRE & COBRE Symposium and the INBRE External Advisory Meeting, as an INBRE Research Associate. Ms. Aldarondo has won awards at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) 2017 and at the 5th Annual International BioXFEL Conference in 2018 for her presentation on “Hydrogen Sulfide: An inhibitor of Insulin Amyloid Fibrils”. As part of the enhancement of her research she has attended workshops on Protein Purification, Protein Crystallography, and Solving Protein Structures through XFELS and SLACS, and professional development workshops such as the Individual Development Plan. Her team is currently working on a manuscript with the goal of being published by a peer reviewed journal. Though her current work centers in protein structure and kinetics, she aims to direct her future work to the field of neuroscience.  RISE is providing her the opportunity to add basic knowledge in the area of neuroscience.  In particular, she had a very active participation in the presentation of Dr. Daniel Colon, from Yale University, in the area of neuroscience and we are identifying research internships and workshops for her this summer in that area.  Her ongoing research, is indeed, closely related to the area of neuroscience.  She will have the first presentation in a non-minority environment at the Experimental Biology 2019 conference.  She completed her IDP.

 

She can be reached at the following electronic mail address: alani.aldarondo@upr.edu