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 Cybersecurity

  • Medicine 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

Andreica Maldonado
Program Director of the Research Grants Program
Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust

Juan E. Figueroa, PhD
Associated Researcher and Entrepreneurship Advisor Puerto Rico Science Technology Research Trust

David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
Director of the Technology Transfer Office Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust

Caroline B. Appleyard, PhD
Professor of Physiology & Pharmacology and Internal Medicine Department of Basic Sciences Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU)

Annelyn Torres-Reveron, PhD
Adjunct Faculty Ponce Health Sciences University Ponce Research Institute

Akiva Mintz, MD, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair Translational Research Director, Columbia University PET Center Department of Radiology

Bárbara Rivera Chinea
Program Director of Fase1, an entrepreneurship incubator and CDBG-DR funded program.

Gian L. Ortiz Perales
Business Development Specialist at Colmena66

Héctor Jirau, Ph.D., MScFE
Director of Operations and Investments of Parallel18

Carlos Báez, PhD, MBA, RTTP, CLP
Senior Technology Manager in the Technology Transfer Office of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust

Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

Shelli Brunswick
Chief Operating Officer Space Foundation

Zarixia Zavala Ruiz (Zari), Ph.D.
Director, Scientific Programs HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus

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.

Suranganie Dharmawardhane Flanagan, Ph.D.
Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus Chief Scientific Officer of MBQ Pharma, Inc.

Lilia Y Kucheryavykh, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR

Jaime Matta, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Ponce Health Sciences University Senior Investigator at the Ponce Research Institute

Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine Chair of the Department of Microbiology

Jens Lautenbach, Ph.D.
Observatory Scientist Arecibo Observatory - University of Central Florida

Tugrul Giray, Ph.D.
Professor of Integrative Biology University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

Sabzali Javadov, MD, PhD, FAHA
Professor, Department of Physiology UPR Medical Science Campus

Andrew Seeds, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the Institute of Neurobiology University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus

Beatriz Zayas, PhD, MS
Professor of Toxicology and Risk Assessment at the School of Science and Technology, University Ana G Mendez

Carla Restrepo, Ph.D.
Professor - Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

Alok Arun, Ph.D.
Associate Professor – Department of Science and Technology Inter American University of Puerto Rico – Barranquitas Campus

Humberto Mercader
Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives at the Department of Economic Development and Commerce

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