By Kamille Morales Lebrón — Marketing & Communications Specialist, Technology Transfer Office (TTO)

The EnTRUST 2025 Life Sciences Accelerator Award Ceremony was more than the conclusion of a cohort—it was a clear signal of Puerto Rico’s innovation ecosystem advancing with purpose. At the Technology Transfer Office (TTO), we work shoulder-to-shoulder with researchers from Puerto Rico’s universities, institutions, and research institutes to identify, evaluate, protect, market, and transfer their most promising research discoveries to the private sector for commercialization and to benefit the public. EnTRUST is central to that mission, designed to help teams bridge the path from science to commercialization with structure, mentorship, and strategy.

This fifth cohort underscores that progress. Five research teams were awarded $75,000 each ($375,000 total) to continue developing their technologies after completing a 12-week accelerator.

Beyond funding, the program equips them with commercialization training, regulatory and IP guidance, and access to a robust innovation network.

The awarded projects reflect the breadth of scientific excellence in Puerto Rico—from diagnostics and chronic condition monitoring to cancer therapeutics and next-generation RNA platforms:

  • Dra. Dalice M. Piñero-Cruz (UPR–Río Piedras) — Development of ammonia and nitric oxide integrated breath analyzers for diagnosis and monitoring of chronic health conditions.
  • Dr. José A. Lasalde-Dominicci (UPR–Río Piedras) — Spark Immunity: Catalyzing Immune Response.
  • Dr. Marvin J. Bayro & Dr. Cornelis P. Vlaar (UPR–Río Piedras & Medical Sciences Campus) — OncoSpin: Molecular Precision in Cancer Therapeutics.
  • Dr. Juan López-Garriga & Dra. Gladys Docoudray (UPR–Río Piedras) — Advances in sulfhemoglobinemia (“green blood”) diagnosis.
  • Dr. Marcelo Samsa (UPR Molecular Sciences Research Center) — Modified Self-Amplifying mRNA (MoSAM): The Next Evolution in mRNA Technology.

As Dr. David Gulley emphasized: “One of the greatest challenges in innovation is not discovery, but what comes next. The space between early-stage research and real-world application is where many promising ideas are lost. Translational funding is essential because it provides the resources, structure, and support needed to move those discoveries forward and position them for impact.”

Carlos Báez highlighted a key challenge: Puerto Rico’s scientific talent is undeniable—but the real work is creating conditions for that talent to extend beyond the lab. That means strengthening an ecosystem that supports development, validation, and ultimately market entry.

From the entrepreneurial lens, Dra. Annelyn Torres-Reverón, founder of Sur180, reminded us: “Entrepreneurship in science requires vision, but also the ability to navigate uncertainty and turn knowledge into action.” Market entry demands more than science—it requires aligning regulatory, commercial, and IP strategies in one coherent plan.

Crucially, this cohort was made possible by funding from the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) through an agreement with the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust (PRSTRT). EnTRUST is developed in collaboration with the Columbia University Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (Lab to Market Boot Camp) and is a key initiative of the NIH NIGMS Southeast XLerator Network.

Since 2021, EnTRUST has awarded 21 grants totaling $1.6M, supporting investigators across the UPR system and other local institutions. The 2025 cohort brought together 11 teams, 16 investigators, and six universities, spanning therapeutic development, cancer research, and medical devices. Projects were reviewed by an external panel against rigorous criteria—including unmet clinical need, innovation and market value, experimental plan (with a “killer experiment”), team strength, and IP/regulatory strategy.

Hosted at the PRSTRT Forward Center, the ceremony marked not an ending, but a beginning—forging new connections and setting the stage for execution, partnerships, and strategic next steps. Because at its core, technology transfer is not just moving knowledge—it’s activating possibilities for real impact.

If you’re interested in collaborating with the TTO or learning more about EnTRUST: https://prsciencetrust.org/techtransferoffice/