Mark your calendar and join us!
Witness the impact that the Research Grants Program and the breakthroughs of researchers in fields like life science, technology, health, agriculture, aerospace, and much more!
Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Biotechnology and Life Sciences
Clean Technology and Renewable Energy
Electronics, Engineering, and Math
Information/Communications
Technology and CybersecurityMedicine and Public Health
Other related sciences
Physical Sciences and Aerospace
What to expect?
Network with peers and professionals from these fields
Learn firsthand about the benefits of our grant programs
Get to meet our grantees
2022 Video Recap
Speakers
Eng. Lucy A Crespo
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
Eng. Lucy A Crespo
Eng. Lucy A Crespo
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Lucy Crespo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust. The Trust mission is to advance the research and innovation ecosystem in Puerto Rico. She retired as General Manager of Hewlett-Packard Puerto Rico for the Enterprise Business in 2013. Her tenure at HP lasted for 31 year, successfully working in the HP Computing and Printing and Personal Systems business units. Lucy is an executive with ample experience in the technology industry and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and completed Executive Development education at the Kellogg’s Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University. She is a member of the Alpha Pi Mu, the Industrial Engineering Honor Society. Under her leadership, HP Puerto Rico received the HP’s President Quality Award given by the HP’s CEO. Lucy has been recognized by various institutions.
Andreica Maldonado
Program Director of the Research Grants Program
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
Andreica Maldonado
Andreica Maldonado
Program Director
Research Grants Program
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
After living in the mainland United States for six years, Andreica Maldonado returned to her homeland to join Parallel18 as a Startup Executive. At Parallel18, Andreica managed a group of 16 startups during each cohort, meeting with them on a daily basis and executing the acceleration curriculum effectively, which includes measuring weekly growth through KPI meetings.
She also was in charge of reviewing and analyzing startup performance and developing midpoint evaluations. In addition, she connected the most prominent startups with investors, mentors, companies, and universities and ensured that the grants were disbursed and spent wisely by the entrepreneurs.
Since December 2017, she leads the Research Grants Program in which she is the spokesperson for agency programs in dealing with the scientific community, Puerto Rican government officials, and other agencies and stakeholders. Supervise the promotional efforts to disseminate information about the grants program to the public at-large. Develop requests for applications (RFAs) or Requests for Proposals (RFPs) designed to solicit specific types of grant or contract proposals from the scientific community. Implement the review process, oversee the identification and screening of reviewers, and organize peer-review groups to evaluate letters of intent and/or research proposals on the basis of their scientific merit. Under the direction of the Grants Committee, lead efforts to set yearly funding priorities, determining best practices and policies for proposal review, grants award, and grants management, and providing evaluations of the grants programs and recommendations for improvement. In addition, she is responsible for the distribution of the “Post Hurricane Maria Aid for Researchers” initiative funds, that is designed to help Puerto Rican investigators continue their projects and reestablish operations in their laboratories
Previously, she was a project manager and senior program coordinator at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey’s Center for Leadership and Management. At Rutgers, she managed the New Jersey County Welfare Agencies Leadership and Management Development Project. In that capacity, she conducted research, produced reports, and delivered presentations at each of the state’s 21 counties.
She also has experience in working with disparate community cohorts, including seniors, women, and adolescents, in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico.
Andreica holds a B.A. in General Social Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit and Public Management from the Rutgers University School of Social Work.
Juan E. Figueroa, PhD
Associated Researcher and Entrepreneurship Advisor
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
Juan E. Figueroa, PhD
Juan E. Figueroa, PhD
Associated Researcher and Entrepreneurship Advisor
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
Topic: SBIR/STTR Federal Grants – A digital hub of resources and funds for the development and commercialization of innovative technologies.
Dr. Juan E. Figueroa is an Entrepreneurship Advisor and Associated Researcher at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (Trust) and is responsible for working with researchers and innovators to transform the results of their research and ideas into product concepts with high potential for commercial success. He also works in the search for research and commercialization funds from private and government sources for the Trust community.
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
Director of the Technology Transfer Office
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
Director of the Technology Transfer Office
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Topic: XLerator Network XLN Programs and I-RED
Dr. Gulley is founding Director of the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) which was established in 2017 at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust. The TTO is a regional tech transfer office serving the island’s public and private universities, which includes 13 campuses and 4 medical schools. From 1989-2012 he served at the University of Illinois as Associate Vice President, Technology and Economic Development, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research at Chicago. From 2012-2015 he led an AUTM (Association of University Technology Managers) engagement in Chile to establish and reinforce 21 TTOs. He has been a member of LES (Licensing Executives Society) and AUTM for more than 25 years, serving on the AUTM board and currently as Chair of International Strategy overseeing strategic alliances and 9 regional committees across the globe. He is past Chair of the Certified Licensing Professionals, Inc. and he was a founding member of the ATTP (Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals), representing AUTM, and serves on the RTTP (Registered Technology Transfer Professional) Peer Review Committee. Dr. Gulley holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Southern Illinois University and a graduate degree from Virginia Tech and is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP) and a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP).
Caroline B. Appleyard, PhD
Professor of Physiology & Pharmacology and Internal Medicine
Department of Basic Sciences
Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU)
Caroline B. Appleyard, PhD
Caroline B. Appleyard, PhD
Professor of Physiology & Pharmacology and Internal Medicine
Department of Basic Sciences
Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU)
Co-Founder and Scientific Director of Sur180 Therapeutics, LLC
Topic: Topic: From Lab Collaboration to Partners in Business: Female Founders in Action
Caroline B. Appleyard, PhD, FAPS is a Professor in the Department of Basic Sciences at Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) with an active research program centered around the role of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Her laboratory carries out translational research focused on the transition of intestinal inflammation to cancer and the impact of stress and complementary interventions on the intestinal tract in conditions such as colitis and endometriosis. She is the Co-founder and Scientific Director of Sur180 Therapeutics, LLC, a woman-owned company that promotes integrative medical care for women’s well-being and focuses on raising the level of care for endometriosis.
Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD
Adjunct Faculty
Ponce Health Sciences University
Ponce Research Institute
Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD
Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD
Adjunct Faculty
Ponce Health Sciences University
Ponce Research InstituteCo-Founder and CEO of Sur180 Therapeutics, LLC
Topic: From Lab Collaboration to Partners in Business: Female Founders in Action
Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sur180 Therapeutics, LLC, a biomedical startup developing new treatments for endometriosis. She is also an Adjunct Faculty at Ponce Health Sciences University/Ponce Research Institute. After 11 years in Academia, she jumped full-time into the entrepreneurship environment. She is certified in Integrative Medicine approaches and recently obtained a certification in Biotechnology Program Management. Annelyn continues her long-term research collaborations in endometriosis research with faculty from Ponce Research Institute and combines her scientific expertise with training in entrepreneurship and startup development to direct Sur180 Therapeutics.
Akiva Mintz, MD, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair Translational Research
Director, Columbia University PET Center
Department of Radiology
Akiva Mintz, MD, PhD
Akiva Mintz, MD, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair Translational Research
Director, Columbia University PET Center
Department of Radiology
CoDirector, Translational Therapeutics Accelerator (TRx)
Director, Pilot and Collaborative Studies Resource (PCSR)
Associate Director, Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Columbia University
Topic: Role of Accelerators and Partnerhsips in Drug Development
Akiva Mintz is a physician-scientist whose translational research focuses on developing and personalizing cancer therapies using non-invasive molecular imaging. He obtained his medical and graduate degrees at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Dr. Mintz subsequently completed a Nuclear Medicine Residency and an NIH-sponsored molecular imaging fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Mintz is dual-board certified in Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Informatics. In addition to his medical training, Dr. Mintz is a CFA charterholder and completed a Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Mintz is currently a Tenured Professor of Radiology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He serves as an Associate Director of the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Columbia University, where he leads the pilot funding and Accelerate Therapeutics Accelerator (TRx). He also serves as Vice Chair of Translational Research for the Department of Radiology and is director of the Columbia University PET Center and division chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine.
Dr. Mintz’s cross-translational research efforts exploit nuclear-based molecular imaging and therapy techniques to personalize anti-cancer therapies. His work is funded by multiple NIH grants and the American Cancer Society.
Bárbara Rivera Chinea
Program Director of Fase1, an entrepreneurship incubator and CDBG-DR funded program.
Bárbara Rivera Chinea
Bárbara Rivera-Chinea is currently the Program Director of Fase1, an entrepreneurship incubator and CDBG-DR funded program.
Bárbara joined the Trust in 2018 as the Director of Recuperación Agrícola an 18-month collaborative program funded by the American Red Cross to provide local small and disadvantaged farmers with equipment, supplies, infrastructure, and capacity building for their prompt recovery after the impact of 2017 hurricanes. In 2020 she was appointed as the Director of the Re-Grow Puerto Rico Urban and Rural Agriculture program, the first CDBG-DR funded program granted to the Trust as a sole subrecipient to administer and disburse grants to eligible and affected famers and food producers to reestablish and expand local agricultural production to support Puerto Rico’s food security and economic development efforts.
Previously, Bárbara worked for over 15 years in business development in the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), at the Federal Contracting Center (FeCC), a nation-wide Department of Defense funded program that supports small businesses in obtaining contracts with the federal government.
Bárbara has participated several times as a subject matter expert in the Emerging Leaders program, a Small Business Administration entrepreneurship training program, and collaborated as a specialized resource in many conferences and industry events throughout her 15-year career in federal procurement and business development. She played a leading role in the establishment and performance of industry clusters such as the Puerto Rico IT Cluster, participating in trade missions and the coordination of key events like the CIO & IT Leadership Conference, among many others.
Barbara has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing/ Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus.
Gian L. Ortiz Perales
Business Development Specialist at Colmena66
Gian L. Ortiz Perales
Gian L. Ortiz Perales is a Business Development Specialist at Colmena66, a program of the PRSTRT. Gian specializes in understanding the needs of entrepreneurs and business support organizations to influence decision making through data. He graduated from the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao with a bachelor’s degree in Social Research and Business.
Héctor Jirau, Ph.D., MScFE
Director of Operations and Investments of Parallel18
Héctor Jirau, Ph.D., MScFE
Héctor Jirau, Ph.D., MScFE holds a B.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology, an M.S. in Financial Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry. He has been nominated and received numerous awards and recognition from federal institutions, holding a fellowship grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for four consecutive years. Dr. Jirau worked as a financial advisor at a state-registered Investment advisory firm offering separately managed accounts services in healthcare. Dr. Jirau has served as an Associate at Unity Growth Fund, a private equity firm, leading their investor relations and investment due diligence efforts for their Pre-IPO and early-stage investments in highly vetted companies like SpaceX, Thrasio, Stripe, and Klarna. He also served as the investment fund manager and today as the Director of Operations and Investments of Parallel18, a renowned global startup accelerator. Dr. Jirau holds ownership in early-stage companies in different sectors and maintains active participation in numerous ventures in the healthcare sector.
Carlos Báez, PhD, MBA, RTTP, CLP
Senior Technology Manager in the Technology Transfer Office of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Carlos Báez, PhD, MBA, RTTP, CLP
Carlos Báez, PhD, MBA, RTTP, CLP
Senior Technology Manager in the Technology Transfer Office of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust.
Topic: Life Sciences Bootcamp
Dr. Baez is a Senior Technology Manager in the Technology Transfer Office of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust. He was an associate investigator at University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Department of Biology, an adjunct professor at UPR Department of Physical Sciences, and the coordinator of the Neuroimaging and Electrophysiology Facility (NIEF). Dr. Báez has published twenty peer-reviewed articles and is an inventor in several patents. He has a BS in chemistry, a PhD in biochemistry, and an MBA. Dr. Báez is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP), a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP), and a Registered Patent Agent. He is co-Chair of the AUTM Better World Project.
Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez
Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa, Ph.D.
Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust
Dr. Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez (UPRM), and a master’s and doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. He is the former Executive Vice President (EVP) for Academic Affairs and Research at the University of Puerto Rico.
Dr. Córdova-Figueroa is a professor of Chemical Engineering at UPRM, and the principal investigator (PI) and co-PI of awards granted by NSF amounting to $20 million. He has received from the same agency the CAREER Award, given to junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through research and education, and the integration of these endeavors in the context of UPRM’s mission. Dr. Córdova-Figueroa is an expert in reconfigurable and multifunctional soft materials and continues leading a team of researchers at UPRM. He has participated as an author and co-author of publications in peer-reviewed journals, some highlighted on the cover and back cover.
He served as Special Assistant to the Chancellor in Research, Innovation, and Creative Endeavors, Founder of the UPRM Entrepreneurship Network, and Coordinator of the Research Academy for Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows of UPRM, which he also founded. During these appointments, he designed and developed a collaboration with members of the university community, alumni, industry partners, and government agencies an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem at the campus that expanded to the west coast of Puerto Rico.
As EVP from 2018 to June 30, 2022, Dr. Córdova-Figueroa developed strategies in the nexus between academic innovation, administrative transformation, research, and entrepreneurship to promote student success. His efforts resulted in the award of funds from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA), securing over $40 millions. He also presented a $7.5 million construction project to take place at UPRM for a state-of-the-art aerospace research facility to Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón. She submitted it together with another nine projects to the House Appropriations Committee in FY23 and it currently awaits the vote of the House of Representatives.
In the summer of 2021, Dr. Córdova-Figueroa was invited by the Ministry of Production, Exterior Commerce, Investments, and Fishery of Ecuador with collaborators from the University of North Alabama to train hundreds of Ecuadorians in strategies to advance collaborations between academia, private sector, and government while developing dozens of projects to accelerate the economic recovery of the country.
Dr. Córdova-Figueroa is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust since August 2019.
Shelli Brunswick
Chief Operating Officer
Space Foundation
Shelli Brunswick
Shelli Brunswick
Chief Operating Officer
Space Foundation
Presentation Title: Let’s Make Space For Everyone
Short Description: Space is driving today’s era of access and opportunity with every community, infrastructure, and aspect of modern life reliant on space technologies and innovations. But ultimately what does it offer you and your life, and what’s next? Listen, learn and explore how the frontiers of space relate to you and what roles you can play in pioneering what’s next for life on Earth and beyond.
Shelli Brunswick, COO of Space Foundation, brings a broad perspective and deep vision of the global space ecosystem — from a distinguished career as a space acquisition and program management leader and congressional liaison for the U.S. Air Force to her current role overseeing Space Foundation’s three primary divisions: Center for Innovation and Education, Symposium 365, and Global Alliance.
Advocating for space technology innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusion, Shelli collaborates with organizations around the world to connect commercial, government and educational sectors. Shelli was named the 2021 Global Technology Leader and the 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Role Model of the Year Award by WomenTech Network.
Shelli plays an active leadership role with several organizations to include: United Nations Space4Women, WomenTech Network, and the World Business Angels Investment Forum.
Zarixia Zavala Ruiz (Zari), Ph.D.
Director, Scientific Programs
HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus
Zarixia Zavala Ruiz (Zari), Ph.D.
Zarixia Zavala Ruiz (Zari), Ph.D.
Director, Scientific Programs
HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus
Presentation Title: The HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus Point of View
Short Description: The HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus is a state-of-the-art research facility and community of about 400 scientists, split between individual research labs, project teams and support teams. During the presentation, Zari will present and discuss Janelia’s current scientific model and scientific programs.
Zarixia Zavala Ruiz (Zari) is Director for several scientific programs at Janelia. In this position, she manages the Group Leader and Theory Fellow competitions, appointment reviews and mentoring program. She also provides oversight for the Visiting Scientist Program, currently comprised of over 100 scientists from all over the globe engaged in collaborative projects with Janelia’s resident scientists. Several years ago, she spearheaded the development of a new program at Janelia, the Graduate Research Fellowship.
Zari has more than eighteen years of academic research experience in the fields of biochemistry, structural biology, molecular immunology and science administration. She received her undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Rio Piedras and earned her PhD in biological chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During her PhD, she conducted structural and biochemical research that helped elucidate several aspects of peptide binding to the human class II major histocompatibility complex protein HLA-DR1, an immune system protein that activates a T-cell response. Prior to joining Janelia, she was a tenured Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Co-Director of the Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography Facility at UPR where she worked on structural and cancer biology, and molecular immunology. For several years, Zari served as consultant to a small biotech startup aimed at developing tools for epigenetic analysis and represented the interests of the scientific founders on the Board of Directors of the company.
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D.
Professor of Molecular Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Professor, Elmezzi Graduate School, Northwell Health.
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D.
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D.
Professor of Molecular Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Professor, Elmezzi Graduate School, Northwell Health.
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D., is Professor of Molecular Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Professor, Elmezzi Graduate School, Northwell Health. She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and attended the University of Puerto Rico, where she obtained a B.S. in biology. She then graduated with a M.S. in Biology/Immunology from New York University and subsequently pursued doctoral studies in Molecular Biology/Immunology at the University of Southern California, School of Medicine.
Among her contributions to the field of human immunology are: isolating and functionally characterizing for the first time, specialized immune cells (immune dendritic cells) in humans; human DC hematopoiesis from cord blood progenitors, deciphering key molecular events related to the positive and negative control of DC development and function, the first description of a leukemic counterpart of myeloid DCs. Most recently, at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Dr. Santiago-Schwarz’ research focused on the control of monocyte and DC development in normal and abnormal physiology and, developing new therapeutic agents for autoimmune diseases.
Throughout her career as an educator and biomedical scientist, Dr. Santiago-Schwarz has been actively engaged in a variety of mentoring, diversity, and global humanitarian initiatives. As Chair of Global Health Research at the Center for Global Health, Northwell Health, Dr. Santiago-Schwarz brings her collective professional experiences and expertise so as to help promote public health, research, and education in a global and diverse setting. Current activity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic includes acquiring insight into the immunopathology of COVID-19, unraveling novel therapeutic opportunities and, development of COVID-19 medical-educational alliances with the community.
Suranganie Dharmawardhane Flanagan, Ph.D.
Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
Chief Scientific Officer of MBQ Pharma, Inc.
Suranganie Dharmawardhane Flanagan, Ph.D.
Suranganie Dharmawardhane Flanagan, Ph.D.
Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
Chief Scientific Officer of MBQ Pharma, Inc.
Dr. Suranganie Dharmawardhane Flanagan’s research focuses on experimental therapeutics for cancer metastasis, a deadly stage when the cancer cells move from the primary site to establish tumors all over the body. Her laboratory uses cell and mouse models of metastatic cancer to characterize specific inhibitors to the small GTP binding proteins Rac and Cdc42 as targeted therapeutics for cancer metastasis and overcoming therapy resistance. Dr. Su’s 22-year independent research program has been funded by various federal (NIH and US/Army Breast Cancer Research Program), and private foundation grants, including PRSTRT support since 2015 with 3 Advanced Research grants, a catalyzer grant, and a current TAP Accelerator grant.
Dr. Su received her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1987. She was subsequently trained in cell migration, cancer cell invasion/metastasis, and signaling via GTP binding proteins at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY; University of California at San Diego; and the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA. Her independent research program in breast cancer metastasis was initiated in 2000 at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Su is currently a Full Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR. In addition, she directs the Developmental Research Projects Program of the Puerto Rico IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), a NIH/NIGMS P20 award to the UPR to forward the biomedical sciences research enterprise in Puerto Rico. Since 2018, she has served as the Chief Scientific Officer of MBQ Pharma, Inc., a Biotech Company focusing on the development of anti metastatic breast cancer therapeutics targeting the metastasis drivers Rac and Cdc42.
Lilia Y Kucheryavykh, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry
Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR
Lilia Y Kucheryavykh, Ph.D.
Lilia Y Kucheryavykh, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry
Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR
I conduct Brain Tumor Research Program at the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC). My laboratory is focused on investigation of signaling mechanisms of regulation in glioma tumor cells, including mechanisms of interactions between glioma and tumor infiltrating myeloid cells. Microglia and macrophages infiltrate most gliomas and have been demonstrated to promote tumor growth, invasion, and treatment resistance. We have identified Pyk2 and FAK as a new intracellular signaling elements, mediating interactions between microglia/macrophages and glioma cells and involved in fast tumor relapse after surgery resection. Our current studies are directed at the development of combinatorial therapies utilizing dual Pyk2/FAK inhibitors to target the microglia/macrophages component on tumor progression and recurrence after surgery resection. Glioma mouse models and resected human glioblastoma tissues are used. Research is supported by EnTRUST PRSTRT and NIH SC1 funding mechanisms and is conducted in collaboration with the Emory University Hospital, University of Puerto Rico Medical Center and HIMA San Pablo Hospital, Caguas.
Jaime Matta, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Ponce Health Sciences University
Senior Investigator at the Ponce Research Institute
Jaime Matta, Ph.D.
Jaime Matta, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Ponce Health Sciences University
Senior Investigator at the Ponce Research Institute
Dr. Jaime Matta obtained his D.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was a recipient of a University of California President’s Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. He is Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Ponce Health Sciences University and a Senior Investigator at the Ponce Research Institute with 30 years of academic experience at PHSU in research focused in toxicology and cancer. He has pioneered the development of multiple programs in these areas. Dr. Matta is currently the contact Principal Investigator (PI) of the U54 PACHE PHSU-Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC) Partnership grant, aimed at expanding PHSU’s research capabilities in basic and clinical sciences, strengthen the Puerto Rican tumors biobank, and establish a network and infrastructure to reduce health disparities in the treatment of cancer in Hispanic patients. He is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of basic and clinical scientists and physicians involved in cancer.
His laboratory has primarily focused on conducting translational cancer research in large scale population studies, with emphasis on the role of DNA repair as a risk factor for breast, prostrate and skin cancers, identifying DNA repair genes involved in cancer susceptibility, and studying epigenetic mechanisms (exo-miRNAs) by which such genes are regulated and silenced. With funding from the Puerto Rico Science & Technology Trust (PRSTT), he is actively involved in studying the epigenetic regulation by exo-miRNAs in multiple endpoints involved in breast cancer. In 2019, Dr. Matta received the prestigious award from Frontiers in Stem Cells in Cancer from the University of Pittsburgh. He is the Principal Investigator in a 3-year grant from the Department of Defense (DOD) to study risk factors associated with the development of this lethal prostate among Puerto Ricans and to reduce disparities associated with this disease. The interdisciplinary study encompasses three areas; genomics, molecular and community outreach with the objective of developing methods for the early detection of lethal prostate cancer and identifying sociocultural barriers that hinder its detection.
Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine
Chair of the Department of Microbiology
Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Ph.D.
Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine
Chair of the Department of Microbiology
Filipa is an Associate Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine and the Chair of the Department of Microbiology. Filipa is a native of Portugal and has developed her career studying biodiversity associated with animal and human microbiomes, investigating an eclectic collection of topics including evolution, community dynamics and dysbiosis in different systems.
She pioneered the use of metagenomics and bioinformatic tools to study the human microbiome as well as unique tropical host-microbe interactions in the Caribbean.
Her laboratory investigates microbiomes in a variety of contexts using various Omic techniques to understand the co-evolution, transmission, and functions of microbial-host symbioses. Her group’s mission is to translate microbial ecology to improve human health and conservation while empowering education in the microbial sciences.
Filipa holds a BS in Biology from the University of Porto (Portugal), a Ph.D. in Biology from the UPR Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico) and a three-year postdoc done at the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (California), funded by an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship. She is an editorial board member of Microbes and Infection, ISME communications, Frontiers in Microbiology and Frontiers in Microbiomes. She is an honorary fellow member of the Society for Applied Microbiology (UK), Ambassador for the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME) and past President of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) Caribbean Division.
Jens Lautenbach, Ph.D.
Observatory Scientist
Arecibo Observatory - University of Central Florida
Jens Lautenbach, Ph.D.
Jens Lautenbach, Ph.D.
Observatory Scientist
Arecibo Observatory – University of Central Florida
Dr. Jens Lautenbach holds an M.Sc. in Engineering Physics and a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science. During the years, he participated in various scientific research projects, including developing novel lidar instruments at the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Germany, and the University of Adelaide, Australia. He co-supervised and organized a scientific field campaign over several months in the Arctic. Dr. Lautenbach studied the upper atmosphere’s thermal structure, metal, and ice particles at different latitudes with lidar and radar instruments. The comparison of all these parameters led to new and unexpected scientific results. Since 2015, he is working in the Space and Atmospheric Sciences group of the Arecibo Observatory, first as a Senior Research Scientist under SRI International and later as an Observatory Scientist under the University of Central Florida. Dr. Lautenbach published several research papers, secured external funds (e.g., PRSTRT Advanced Research Grant), and mentored students.
Tugrul Giray, Ph.D.
Professor of Integrative Biology
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
Tugrul Giray, Ph.D.
Tugrul Giray, Ph.D.
Professor of Integrative Biology
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
Dr. Tugrul Giray is a scientist working and living in Puerto Rico. He is married to Clara Gonzalez, and they have a daughter, Deniz (21), and a son Suat (18). Tugrul Giray has a BS (1990) in Biology from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. Tugrul Giray completed his MS (1993) and Ph.D. (1997) degrees in Entomology at the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. He has completed two postdoctoral research projects: endocrine regulation of behavioral development in Polistes wasps at the Smithsonian Institute in Panama, and genetics and physiology of antisocial behavior (cannibalism) in flour beetles at the University of Vermont. He has begun his current position as an assistant professor of integrative biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, PR in 2000. In 2006-2007 Dr. Giray passed a sabbatical year at the Middle East Technical University, Department of Biology in the laboratories of Dr. Meral Kence and late Dr.Aykut Kence, performing a comparative study of honey bee subspecies in a common garden apiary they established on campus. During this stay, Dr. Giray participated in organization of an expanded Evolution congress under the title “Cankaya Evrim Gunleri”. As a result of this sabbatical stay, Dr. Giray continued research collaborations in Turkey and the Mediterranean to date, even after passing of Dr. Aykut Kence. Currently, as a professor of the Department of Biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, Tugrul Giray is collaborating with laboratories in different countries to study honey bee populations, their health, genomics, and behavior. Dr. Giray’s broader research area is the ecological, evolutionary, and genetic understanding of social behavior.
Sabzali Javadov, MD, PhD, FAHA
Professor, Department of Physiology
UPR Medical Science Campus
Sabzali Javadov, MD, PhD, FAHA
Sabzali Javadov, MD, PhD, FAHA
Professor, Department of Physiology
UPR Medical Science Campus
Dr. Javadov received his M.D. from the Russian Medical University, Ph.D. from the Russian Cardiology Center, and D.Sc. from Moscow University. He worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher and a Visiting Scientist at the Magdeburg Medical University (Germany), the National Institute of Cardiology (Hungary), the University of Bristol (United Kingdom), and Western University (Canada). Currently, he is a Professor at the Department of Physiology at the UPR School of Medicine.
Dr. Javadov is an internationally recognized scientist with specific training and expertise in cardiac biochemistry and physiology. His research focuses on elucidating the role of mitochondria in cell death and cardiac dysfunction during coronary heart diseases such as myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion using various animal, organ, and cell models and systems. Also, Dr. Javadov is involved in developing new mitochondria-targeted therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cardiac diseases. He has published over 120 journal articles and book chapters. He is a member of the Editorial Board for over 15 scientific journals and a grant committee member for several American and European grant foundations. His research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the PR Science, Technology, and Research Trust.
Andrew Seeds, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the Institute of Neurobiology
University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
Sabzali Javadov, MD, PhD, FAHA
Andrew Seeds, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the Institute of Neurobiology
University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
Dr. Andrew Seeds is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. Dr. Seeds obtained his B.S. in Biology at Indiana University and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology at Duke University. He did his postdoctoral work in Neuroscience at Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus. Dr. Seeds moved to Puerto Rico and started his lab at the Institute of Neurobiology in 2017. His research addresses how neural circuits in the brain function to produce behavior.
Beatriz Zayas, PhD, MS
Professor of Toxicology and Risk Assessment at the School of Science and Technology,
University Ana G Mendez
Beatriz Zayas, PhD, MS
Beatriz Zayas, PhD, MS
Professor of Toxicology and Risk Assessment at the School of Science and Technology,
University Ana G Mendez
Dr. Beatriz Zayas is a professor in toxicology since 2002. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from University of Puerto Rico and a Master’s in Science in Epidemiology from the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico. Dr. Zayas got her PhD in Molecular Toxicology from University of Pittsburgh, and a postdoctoral training in Toxicology and Bioengineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, MA.
She later in 2002 returned to Puerto Rico and joined The Graduate School of Environmental Sciences at the University Ana G Mendez in San Juan, where she founded in 2005, the Chemical, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Laboratory (ChEMTox). The ChEMTox has now become an in-vitro biotesting core laboratory affiliated with PRINBRE to offer testing services in the areas of drug development and environmental toxicology.
Her research has focused mainly on bioactivity and toxicity testing of novel or natural anti-cancer compounds as well as evaluating the mechanism of action of environmental agents applying in-vitro models. Dr. Zayas has established collaborations with multiple organic and medicinal chemist focused on toxicity and drug discovery. These collaborations have resulted in over 50 peer reviewed publications or supplements. She has also five US patents (with Dr. O Cox) for the development and biological activities of novel fluorescent compounds with potential applications for cancer treatment or detection. Her most recent research activity focuses on the development of novel fluorescent markers for hypoxic tumor cells as an in-vitro assay.
In addition to her contribution as a researcher, Dr. Zayas is an active mentor of young researchers in drug development, and environmental toxicology that enjoys training highly motivated undergraduate and graduate students at her ChEMTox laboratory.
Carla Restrepo, Ph.D.
Professor - Department of Biology
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
Carla Restrepo, Ph.D.
Carla Restrepo, Ph.D.
Professor – Department of Biology
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
During her first two years at the Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, Biologist Carla Restrepo had the opportunity to get involved in several research projects, which provided her with a broad training. By the end of her second year, birds became the focus of her research. Between her baccalaureate and master’s degrees, Carla worked as an ecologist for a government institution helping to establish conservation priorities for threatened species and ecosystems in southwestern Colombia and then, as an independent researcher studying a little-known threatened bird. She completed her master and doctoral degrees at the University of Florida while conducting her research in Colombia. This allowed her to learn firsthand about one of the mega-diverse countries on the planet, consolidate herself as an Ornithologist, and promote environmental education projects in rural environments. First, through her post-doctoral work at Stanford University and the University of New Mexico, and then professor at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus, Dr. Restrepo re-oriented her research interests towards the area of Landscape Ecology / Ecosystem Ecology. Since then, she has explored the mutual interactions between nature and humans at regional scales while promoting diversity and inclusion.
Alok Arun, Ph.D.
Associate Professor – Department of Science and Technology
Inter American University of Puerto Rico – Barranquitas Campus
Alok Arun, Ph.D.
Alok Arun, Ph.D.
Associate Professor – Department of Science and Technology
Inter American University of Puerto Rico – Barranquitas Campus
Alok Arun is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Science and Technology at the Barranquitas campus of Inter American University of Puerto Rico. He obtained a PhD in Developmental Biology and Genomics from Pierre and Marie Curie University, France. This was followed by postdoctoral research at Catholique University of Louvain in Belgium. His research interests lie in origin and evolution of plants and algae, and in his present position he utilizes several next generation molecular and imaging techniques with the goal of developing scientific and community resources for underutilized crops and blue agriculture. He is Principal Investigator on an NSF-funded project that aims to bring Blue Agriculture to Puerto Rico to create awareness about underutilized marine resources and generate gainful employment. Also, he is Principal Investigator on two USDA NIFA projects focused on precision agriculture and another on the training of K-14 teachers in agricultural biotechnology. As an educator, Alok’s efforts are chiefly directed towards promoting STEM excellence among students from underrepresented groups through giving them immersive research experiences and other exposure opportunities. He wants to continue creating networks and platforms that will steer students and young researchers from Puerto Rico towards STEM careers in academia and industry with the long-term goal of building a diverse and resilient workforce to drive the Puerto Rican agricultural economy. He was awarded the United States Department of Agriculture E. Kika De La Garza Science Fellow Award for the year 2022.
Humberto Mercader
Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives at the Department of Economic Development and Commerce
Humberto Mercader
Humberto Mercader
Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives at the Department of Economic Development and Commerce.
Title: R&D as Pillar of a Knowledge Based Economy
Agenda
Registration
Welcome & Forward Introduction
Andreica Maldonado
Research Grants Program Director
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Opening Remarks
Eng. Lucy A Crespo
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
The HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus Point of View
Zarixia Zavala Ruiz, Ph.D.
Director, Scientific Programs
HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus
Meta-Omic Approaches to Study Microbiome Dynamics for Cervical Cancer Prevention
Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
Chair of the Department of Microbiology
The CometChip technology as a promising tool for the analysis of DNA repair capacity in clinical samples from cancer patients
Jaime Matta, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Ponce Health Sciences University
Senior Investigator at the Ponce Research Institute
Development of MBQ-167 as a First-in-Class Metastatic Cancer Therapeutic
Suranganie Dharmawardhane Flanagan, Ph.D.
Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
Chief Scientific Officer of MBQ Pharma, Inc.
Coffee Break
Institute of Sustainable Biotechnology (ISBiot):
Empowering STEM Education and Research in Blue Agriculture
Alok Arun, PhD
Visisting Scientist, Whitehead Institute, MIT
Project Director, USDA & NSF HSI STEM
Institute of Sustainable Biotechnology – Inter American University of Puerto Rico
BeeID: A molecular tool that identifies honey bee subspecies and populations from different geographic locations.
Tugrul Giray, Ph.D.
Professor of Integrative Biology
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
Defining the genetic basis of neural circuit development
Andrew Seeds, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor – Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology
University of Puerto Rico – Medical Sciences Campus
Culebra Aerosol Research Lidar Project
Jens Lautenbach, Ph.D.
Observatory Scientist
Arecibo Observatory – University of Central Florida
Let’s Make Space For Everyone
Shelli Brunswick
Chief Operating Officer
Space Foundation
Networking Lunch
Poster Session
Strengthening innovation ecosystems in Puerto Rico
Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust
Entrepreneurship Panel
Federal funds for innovative technologies commercialization
Juan E. Figueroa, PhD
Associated Researcher and Entrepreneurship Advisor
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
Colmena 66
Gian Ortiz
Business Development Specialist at Colmena66
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
Fase1: We are Your Starting Point!
Bárbara Rivera-Chinea
Program Director of Fase1
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
Promoting Innovation and Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Héctor Jirau, Ph.D., MScFE
Director of Operations and Investments of Parallel18
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust
R&D as Pillar of a Knowledge Based Economy
Humberto Mercader
Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives at the Department of Economic Development and Commerce.
Coffee Break
Panel – Advancing Life Sciences Discoveries: Resources for Researchers
XLerator Network Introduction
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
Director of the Technology Transfer Office
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Role of Accelerators and Partnerships in Drug Development
Akiva Mintz, MD, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair Translational Research
Director, Columbia University PET Center
Department of Radiology
CoDirector, Translational Therapeutics Accelerator (TRx)
Director, Pilot and Collaborative Studies Resource (PCSR)
Associate Director, Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Columbia University
EnTrust Panel
Moderador Carlos Báez, PhD, MBA, RTTP, CLP
Senior Technology Manager – Technology Transfer Office of the
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust.
Sabzali Javadov, MD, PhD, FAHA
Professor – Department of Physiology
UPR Medical Science Campus
Beatriz Zayas, PhD, MS
Professor of Toxicology and Risk Assessment – School of Science and Technology,
University Ana G Mendez
Lilia Y Kucheryavykh, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, – Department of Biochemistry
Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR
From Lab Collaboration to Partners in Business: Female Founders in Action
Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD
Adjunct Faculty – Ponce Health Sciences University
Co-Founder and CEO of Sur180 Therapeutics, LLC
Caroline B. Appleyard, PhD
Professor of Physiology & Pharmacology and Internal Medicine – Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU)
Co-Founder and Scientific Director of Sur180 Therapeutics, LLC
Gender Equity in STEM: Who wins? What do we win? An unfolding story at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus
Carla Restrepo, Ph.D.
Professor – Department of Biology
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
Understanding the Mentorship Relationship
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D.
Professor of Molecular Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Professor, Elmezzi Graduate School, Northwell Health.
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust
Closing Remarks and Poster Recognition
Closing Cocktail sponsored by Rums of Puerto Rico
