Eight scientists carrying out pioneering studies in Puerto Rico – in topics as diverse as environmental and health sciences, biotechnology and comparative animal studies – received this Friday a “grant” of $70,000, each, through the Catalyzer Research Grant (CRG, in English) of the Trust for Science, Technology and Research.
The total investment amounted to $560,000 and, with these funds, it is expected that the researchers will be able to advance their projects.
“By providing essential support and resources, we empower our local scientists to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation. Our goal is to create a sustainable and prosperous research ecosystem that not only drives scientific discovery, but also fosters resilience, collaboration and a brighter future for Puerto Rico,” said the director of the Research Grants Program of the Trust, Andreica Maldonadoin written statements.
The grant recipients come from the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, Mayagüez, Medical Sciences and Ponce; he Molecular Sciences Research Center (CICiM); and the Ponce School of Medicine Foundation, Inc. (PHSU, in English).
Below is a breakdown of the eight funded research projects:
- The doctor Marcelo Mario Samsafrom CICiM, seeks to develop a new vaccine against HIV using genetic technology.
- The doctor’s research Carmen Ortiz Sánchezfrom PHSU, seeks to identify new ways to detect the prostate cancer metastatic disease in Puerto Rican men.
- The doctor Fernando Piñero Gonzálezfrom the UPR in Ponce, investigates a treatment for endometriosiswhich aims to identify new therapies to help women suffering from the condition.
- The doctor’s study Andre Amadorfrom the UPR in Mayagüez, seeks to understand how reefs can help reduce floods and protect coastlines to support coral restoration and improve coastal resilience in the country.
- The doctor Roberto Rodríguez Moralesof Medical Sciences, studies the sensory adaptations of the blind Mexican cave fish, to understand the development and regeneration of cells in the inner ear, which could serve as a basis for treatments against hearing loss in humans.
- The doctor Kelcie Chiquillofrom the UPR in Río Piedras, investigates how seagrass beds adapt to the invasive specieshow microbial communities change as such grasslands decline, and the implications for coastal habitats, while engaging local communities in conservation efforts.
- The doctor Francisco Bezares Salinasfrom the UPR in Mayagüez, studies the behavior of light at the nanometric level to improve the performance of devices and their functionality in detection and communication technologies.
- The doctor James Porterfrom PHSU, studies how proteins in the brain influence the stress responses of female rats.